[Sunlight] "Fly back!" -- Ghazal 26

~

Here, Sunlight offers Rumi's Ghazal 26, from the Diwan-e Shams,
in a poetic translation by Nader Khalili, and in a literal translation by A.J. Arberry:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

every moment
a voice
out of this world
calls on our soul
to wake up and rise

this soul of ours
is like a flame
with more smoke than light
blackening our vision
letting no light through

lessen the smoke and
more light brightens your house
the house you dwell in now
and the abode
you'll eventually move to

now my precious soul
how long are you going to
waste yourself
in this wandering journey
can't you hear the voice
can't you use your swifter wings
and answer the call

-- Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Cal-Earth Press, 1994

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Every instant a revelation from heaven comes to men's
innermost souls: "How long like dregs do you remain upon
earth? Come up!"
Whoever is heavy of soul in the end proves to be dregs;
only then does he mount to the top of the vat when his dregs
are clarified.
Do not stir the clay every moment, so that your water
may become clear, so that your dregs may be illumined, so
that your pains may be cured.*
It is spiritual, like a torch, only its smoke is greater
than its light; when its smoke passes beyond bounds, it
no longer displays radiance in the house.
If you diminish the smoke, you will enjoy the light of
the torch; both this abode and that will become illumined
by your light.
If you look into muddy water, you see neither the moon
nor the sky; sun and moon both disappear when darkness
possesses the air.
A northern breeze is blowing through which the air
becomes clarified; it is for the sake of this burnishing that
at dawn the zephyr breathes.
The spiritual breeze burnishes the breast of all sorrow;
let the breath be stopped but for a moment, and annihilation
will come upon the spirit.
The soul, a stranger in the world, is yearning for the
city of placelessness; why, O why does the bestial spirit
continue so long to graze?**
Pure, goodly soul, how long will you journey on? You
are the King's falcon; fly back toward the Emperor's whistle!

-- Translation by A. J. Arberry
"Mystical Poems of Rumi 1"
The University of Chicago Press, 1968

Arberry's footnotes:
*Man is composed of water and clay. Rumi puns on "durd"
(dregs) and "dard" (pains).
**Rumi puns on chara (graze) and chira (why).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For those who may be new to Rumi's work, the "Divan-e Shams"
is the "Collection of Shams" -- the collection of Rumi's lyrical ghazals (odes), named for his great friend, teacher, and inspiration, Shams of Tabriz. -- Sunlight Ed.

~

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[Sunlight] "Fly back!" -- Ghazal 26

[Sunlight] For lovers, advice is never useful -- Ghazal 532

~

Today, Sunlight presents Ghazal 532, in a poetic version from
Coleman Barks, and in literal translation from Ibrahim Gamard. Dr.
Gamard's translation is footnoted, and accompanied by a transliteration of the original Persian.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Each Note

Advice doesn't help lovers!
They're not the kind of mountain stream
you can build a dam across.

An intellectual doesn't know
what the drunk is feeling!

Don't try to figure
what those lost inside love
will do next!

Someone in charge would give up all his power,
if he caught one whiff of the wine-musk
from the room where the lovers
are doing who-knows-what!

One of them tries to dig a hole through a mountain.
One flees from academic honors.
One laughs at famous mustaches!

Life freezes if it doesn't get a taste
of this almond cake.
The stars come up spinning
every night, bewildered in love.
They'd grow tired
with that revolving, if they weren't.
They'd say,
"How long do we have to do this!"

God picks up the reed-flute world and blows.
Each note is a need coming through one of us,
a passion, a longing-pain.
Remember the lips
where the wind-breath originated,
and let your note be clear.
Don't try to end it.
Be your note.
I'll show you how it's enough.

Go up on the roof at night
in this city of the soul.

Let everyone climb on their roofs
and sing their notes!

Sing loud!

-- Version by Coleman Barks
"The Essential Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 1995

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For lovers, advice (from) anyone is never useful, (because) this
[love of theirs] is not like a flood which someone can block up.
An intellectual can never know the savor* (in) the mind of the
(mystic) "drunkard,"* (and) a sensible person can never know the
"senseless" state* of (such a) heart.
If kings were to catch a scent of those "wines" which lovers drink
during the meetings of hearts, they would become fed-up with
kingship.
For the sake of (the beautiful) Sheereen, (King) Khosraw said
farewell to his kingdom, (and) Farhad* pounded a mountain with a
pick-ax for her sake as well.
From love of (his beloved) Layla, (the crazed lover) Majnoon*
fled the circle of intellectuals, (and the lover) Wamiq laughed at the
foolish pride* of every arrogant one.
That life (is) frozen which has passed without that sweet spirit [of
warm love]. (And) that brain (is) rotten which is ignorant of these
compliments* (of love).
If the sky were not bewildered and a lover like us, it would
become weary of revolving, (and) it would say, "It's enough for me!
How (much) longer?"
The world (is) like a reed-pipe, and He blows into its every hole;
every wail it has (is) certainly from those two lips like sugar.
See how He blows into every (piece of) clay* (and) into every
heart; He gives a need and He gives a love which raises up a lament
about misfortune.*
If you uproot the heart from God, tell (me) with whom will you
place it? Anyone who is able to tear (his) heart from Him for a
moment is without a soul!*
I'm stopping (now). Be nimble, and go up on top of the roof at
night. Make a happy uproar in the city with a loud voice, O soul!

-- From The Dîwân-é Kabîr (also known as "Kulliyat-é Shams" and
"Dîwân-é Shams-é Tabrîz") of Jalaluddin Rumi.
Translated from the Persian by Ibrahim Gamard, 10/24/98;
revised 1/3/00 (c)
Footnotes and transliteration (c) Ibrahim Gamard

*savor [Zawq]: a technical term in sufism meaning the "taste" of
mystical experience, often of a quality which cannot be described in
words. Therefore it includes subtle spiritual perception, mystical
feeling, and spiritual enjoyment. Related to the meaning in this line is
the Arabic saying, "He who does not taste, does not know" (man
lam yaZuq lam yadrî-- quoted in Nicholson's Commentary to
Mathnawi V:2145).
*in the mind of the (mystic) "drunkard": literally, "in the head of the
head-drunk one." The words "drunkards," "drunkenness," and
"wine" in Persian sufi poetry refer to ecstatic mystics, ecstatic
mystical states, and spiritual energy (alcoholic beverages are
strictly forbidden in Islam).
*the "senseless" state: may also be translated as "un-sensible
ecstasy" and is a play on "sensible" (which means "wary,"
"prudent," "cautious," as well as "understanding" ). The word
translated as "state" [Hâl] is a technical term in sufism referring to
spiritual-mystical states, and often means spiritual ecstasy and
rapture. This line is similar to one of the famous opening verses of
Rumi's Mathnawi, I:14: "There is no confidant (of) this
understanding [hôsh] except the senseless [bê-hôsh]! There is no
purchaser of that tongue except the ear [of the mystic]."
*In Persian legend, the hero Farhad dug through a mountain to reach
the beautiful woman he loved, Sheereen-- who was also loved by
King Khosraw.
*Manjoon: literally, "jinn-possessed," "insane." A famous lover
whose love for the beautiful Layla (also pronounced in Persian as
"Laylee") drove him crazy and to act in extreme ways.
*laughed at the foolish pride: literally, "beard-ridiculed the
moustache." An idiom meaning making fun of someone's proud
appearance.
*these compliments: literally, the whey of cheese, churned into a
certain consistency. An idiom meaning amorous flattery and praise
(Faruzanfar, "Glossary," p. 425), and here meaning the flirtatious
and adoring compliments enjoyed by lovers. The word translated as
"brain," also means the kernel of a nut.
*into every (piece of) clay: refers to the creation of Adam from clay,
and how God breathed into him of His spirit (Qur'ân 15:29).
*a lament about misfortune: similar to the famous opening lines of
Rumi's Mathnawi: "Listen to this reed-flute, how it complains; it is
telling a story about separations,/ Saying: "Ever since I was torn
from the reed field, man and woman have lamented in (hearing) my
shrill cry." (I:1-2)
*without a soul: also means, "without life"-- because he has no
heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

mar `âshiq-ân-râ pand-é kas hargez na-bâsh-ad sûd-mand
nay ân-chon-ân sayl-ast în ke-sh kas tawân-ad kard band

Zawq-é sar-é sar-mast-râ hargez na-dân-ad `âqilê
Hâl-é del-é bê-hôsh-râ hargez na-dân-ad hôsh-mand

khosraw Wadâ`-é mulk-é khwad az bahr-é shîrîn mê-kon-ad
farhâd ham az bahr-é ô bar kôh mê-kôb-ad kaland

majnûn ze-Halqa-yé `âqil-ân az `ishq-é laylà mê-ram-ad
bar sablat-é har sar-kashê kard-ast wâmiq rêsh-khand

afsorda ân `umrê! ke ân be-g'Zasht bê-ân jân-é khwash
ay ganda ân maghzê! ke ân ghâfil bow-ad z-în lôr-é kand

în âsmân gar nîst-y sar-gashta-wo `âshiq-é chô mâ
z-în gardesh ô sêr âmad-y goft-y: bas-ast-am chand chand

`âlam chô sornâyê-wo ô dar har shekâf-ash mê-deh-ad
har nâla-yê dâr-ad yaqîn z-ân dô lab-é chûn qand, qand

mê-bîn ke-chûn dar mê-dam-ad dar har gelê, dar har delê
Hâjat deh-ad `ishqê deh-ad k-afghân bar âr-ad az gozand

del-râ ze-Haq gar bar kan-î bar key neh-î âkhir be-gô
bê-jân kasê! ke del az-ô yak laHZa bar tânest kand

man bas kon-am, tô chost shaw, shab bar sar-é în bâm raw
khwash gholgholê dar shahr zan ay jân ba-âwâz-é boland

(meter: XXoXoXoX XXoXoXoX/XXX)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~

------------------------------------

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[Sunlight] For lovers, advice is never useful -- Ghazal 532

[Sunlight] "My hope increases when I work"

~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When it comes to earning food,
why has the fear of eternal disappointment
not waylaid you?
You'll say, "Though I face the fear of disappointment,
fear increases when I'm idle.
My hope increases when I work;
when I'm idle, I risk more."
Why does the fear of loss
restrain you when it comes to faith?
Haven't you seen how gainfully employed
the prophets and saints are?
Haven't you seen what mines of treasure
have opened to them
from frequenting the shop of Spirit?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Khawf-e hermân-e azal dar kasb-e lut
chon na-gardet sost andar jost o ju-t
Guyi "Garcheh khawf-e hermân hast pish
hast andar kâheli in khawf pish
"Hast dar kushesh omidam pishtar
dâram andar kâheli afzun-e khatar"
Pas cherâ dar kârdin ay bad-gomân
dâmanet mi girad in khawf-e ziyân
Yâ na-didi kâhel in bâzâr-e mâ
dar cheh sudand anbiyâ o awliyâ
Zin dokân raftan cheh kâneshân raw namud
andarin bâzâr chon bastand sud

-- Mathnawi III: 3096-3101
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~

------------------------------------

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[Sunlight] "My hope increases when I work"

[Sunlight] The Sanctuary of Love -- Ghazal 1335

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 1335, in versions by Jonathan
Star and Coleman Barks, and in translation by A.J. Arberry:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Who is in the house of my heart,
I cried in the middle of the night.
Love said,
"It is I, but what are all these images that fill your house?"
I said, they are the reflection of your beautiful face.
She asked,
"But what is this image full of pain?"
I said, it is me lost in the sorrows of life
and showed her my soul full of wounds.
She offered me one end of a thread and said:
"Take it so I can pull you back
but do not break the delicate string."
I reached towards her but she struck my hand.
I asked, why the harshness?
She said,
"To remind you that whoever comes to love's holy space,
proud and full of himself will be sent away.
Look at love with the eyes of your heart."

-- Translation by Azima Melita Kolin
and Maryam Mafi
Rumi: Hidden Music
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 2001

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I Cried Out at Midnight"

I cried out at midnight,
"Who lives in the house of my heart?"
An answer came back,
"It is I, whose radiance
puts the Sun and Moon to shame."

He then asked,
"Why is this house of the heart
so full of images?"
I said, "They are the reflections of you,
whose face is the envy of Chigil."
He asked, "What is this other image
all soaked in blood?"
I said, "It is me
with my heart torn open
and my feet caught in the mud."

I tied a noose round the neck of my soul
and brought it to Him:
"Here is the one who turned his back on love -
Do no let him escape this time."

He gave me one end of a thread
which was twisted with guile and deceit.
He said, "Pull on this end,
I will pull on the other,
And let's hope the thread doesn't break
in the pulling."

From the chamber of my soul
the form of my Beloved
shone more radiant than ever.
I reached out and grabbed Him with my hand -
He knocked it away and said,
"Don't cling to me!"
I said, "You've become harsh like all the rest."

He said, "Don't insult me - I am harsher than all the rest!
But what I do is born of love, not malice or spite.
I am here to make your heart a shrine of love,
not a pen for holding sheep. . . ."

The Beautiful One has made this world out of gold.
Rub your eyes and see
that He is the keeper of your heart.

-- Version by Jonathan Star
"Rumi - In the Arms of the Beloved"
Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, New York 1997

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Talking in the Night"

In the middle of the night,
I cried out,
"Who lives in this love
I have?
You said, "I do, but I'm not here
alone. Why are these other images
with me?"
I said, "They are reflections of you,
just as the beautiful inhabitants of Chigil
in Turkestan resemble each other."

You said, "But who is this other living
being?"
"That is my wounded soul."

Then I brought that soul
to you as a prisoner.
"This one is dangerous,"
I said. "Don't let him off easy."

You winked and gave me one end
of a delicate thread.
"Pull it tight,
but don't break it."
I reached my hand
to touch you. You struck it down.

"Why are you so harsh with me?"

"For good reason. But certainly not
to keep you away! Whoever enters this place
saying "Here I am" must be slapped.

This is not a pen for sheep.
There are no separating distances here.
This is love's sanctuary.

Saladin is how the soul looks. Rub your eyes,
and look again with love at love.

-- Version by Coleman Barks
"Say I Am You"
Maypop, 1994

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I cried out at midnight, "Who is in this house of the heart?"
He said, "It is I, by whose countenance the sun and the moon are
put to shame."
He said, "Why is this house of the heart full of all sorts of
images?" I said, "These are reflections of You, whose face is
the envy of Chigil*."
He said, "What is this other image, full of the heart's blood?"
I said, "This is the image of me, heart wounded and feet in the
mire."
I bound the neck of my soul and brought it before him as a
token: "It is a sinner of love; do not acquit your sinner."
He gave me the end of a thread, a thread full of mischief and craft; he said, "Pull, that I may pull, pull and at the same time do not break."
From that tent of the soul the form of my Turk flashed out
fairer than before; I reached out my hand to him; He struck
my hand, saying, "Let go!"
I said, "You have turned harsh, like So-and-so." He said,
"Know that I am harsh for a good purpose, not harsh out of
rancour and spite.
Whoever enters in saying, 'It is I,' I strike him on the brow,
for this is the sanctuary of Love, animal, it is not a sheepcote."
Salah-i Dil u Din* is truly the image of that Turk; rub your
eyes, and behold the image of the heart, the image of the heart.

-- Translation by A.J. Arberry
"Mystical Poems of Rumi 1"
The University of Chicago Press, 1968

* Chigil in Turkestan was proverbial for its handsome inhabitants.
* Salah al-Din Zarkub was first Rumi's friend, and later his spiritual
inspiration, after Rumi accepted the likelihood of Shams al-Din's
death. According to Sultan Valad, Rumi's son, Rumi said of
Salah al-Din:

"That Shams al-Din of whom we always spoke
has come back to us! Why do we slumber?
Changed into new clothes, he has returned
to flaunt and strut and show his beauty."

(Translation by Franklin D. Lewis, "Rumi, Past and Present, East
and West". Sunlight footnote.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~

------------------------------------

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[Sunlight] The Sanctuary of Love -- Ghazal 1335

[Sunlight] How can a lover be joined to sensuality?

~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In truth, love for the Illuminator of hearts keeps
Lovers awake all night without food and sleep.
Oh friend, if you are a lover, be like a candle:
Melt all night long, burn joyfully till morning!
He who is like cold weather in autumn is no
lover -- in autumn's midst the lover's heart is burning summer.
Dear friend, if you have a love you want to
proclaim, then shout like a lover! Shout! Shout!
But if you are chained by sensuality, make no
claims to Love -- enter the spiritual retreat and burn away your
chains!
Oh simple man, how can a lover be joined to
sensuality? How could Jesus eat from the same trough as his
ass?
If you want to catch the fragrance of these
symbols, then turn your eyes away from everything but Shams
al-Din of Tabriz!
But if you cannot see that he is greater than the
two worlds, you are still a wretch drowned in the ocean of
heedlessness.
So go before the teachers of conventional
knowledge -- busy yourself with jurisprudence and become a
master of the science of "This is permitted and that is
forbidden."
My spirit has passed beyond childhood in love
for Shams al-Din -- love for him is not mixed with raisins and
nuts.
My intellect has left me and my verses are
incomplete -- that is why my bow has no more designs and
wrappings.
Oh Jalal al-Din, sleep and abandon speech! No
leopard will ever catch that lion!

-- Ghazal (Ode) 1196
Translation by William C. Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1983

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~

------------------------------------

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[Sunlight] How can a lover be joined to sensuality?