Sunlight

[Sunlight] "That knowledge depended on this journeying"

2012-05-25T09:08:00.000-07:00

~

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

The seeker said to himself,
"If I'd known the real meaning of this being with God,
how should I have gone searching for Him?
But that knowledge depended on this journeying:
that knowing can't be gained by thinking,
no matter how precise."

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

Ba`d az ân guyad "Agar dânastami
in ma`iyat-râ kay U-râ jostami
Dânesh ân bud mawquf-e safar
na-âyad ân dânesh be-tizi fekr"

-- Mathnawi VI:4183-4184
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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[Sunlight] "Why accept only a doorkeepers job?" -- Ghazal 1391

2012-05-24T07:56:00.001-07:00

~

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

how long
can i see myself
chained in this prison
chained in this world

the time has come
to take my good life
in my hands and
gallop to the sublime

finally purified
i'm no more polluted
and from now on
i'll take my quests
directly to God Himself

i was given
at my birth
all the estates and mansions
it will be a heresy
to accept only
a doorkeeper's job

once i alter this
doorkeeper's attitude
once i change the
essence in my mind
happiness will replace misery

now my dear heart
since you and i are all alone
having your midnight message
i'll do exactly
that which you know

once i grow wings
in place of my slow feet
all obstacles will vanish
and i really can fly in
time and space again

-- Ghazel 1391
Translated by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Burning Gate Press, Los Angeles, 1994

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

~

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

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[Sunlight] Through this fire Ghazal 685

2012-05-23T10:14:00.000-07:00

~

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

A hundred flames shine in the eyes.
They come from this finest part of the heart
where fire dwells.
How strange! In this burning place
There are so many roses, so much greenery,
so much jasmine.
Through this fire, the garden cools down
And water weds the flame.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 685
Breathing Truth - Quotations from Jalaluddin Rumi
Selected and Translated by Muriel Maufroy
Sanyar Press - London, 1997

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

~

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

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[Sunlight] "Rub your eye well"

2012-05-22T08:02:00.000-07:00

~

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

O body that has become the spirit's dwelling place,
enough is enough:
how long can the Sea abide in a water-skin?
O you who are a thousand Gabriels
in the form of a human being,
O you who are many messiahs inside Jesus's donkey,
O you who are a thousand Ka`bahs
concealed in a house of prayer,
O you who cause `ifrît and devil to fall into error,
you are the spaceless Object of worship in space,
you destroy the devils' business,
for they say, "How should I pay homage to this clay?
How should I bestow on a mere form
a title signifying obedience?"
This human being is not form: rub your eye well,
so that you may behold in him
the radiance of the light of God's glory!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ay tan-e gashteh vesâq-e jân bas ast
chand tânad Bahr dar mashki neshast
Ay hazârân Jebra'il andar bashar
ay masihân-e nehân dar jawf-e khar
Ay hazârân Ka`beh penhân dar kanis
ay ghalat andâz-e `efrit o belis
Sajdeh-gâh-e lâ makâni dar makân
mar belisân-râ ze to virân dokkân
Keh "Cherâ man khedmat-e in tin konam
surati-râ man laqab chon din konam?"
Nist surat cheshm-râ niku be-mâl
tâ be-bini sha`sha`eh-ye nur-e jalâl

-- Mathnawi VI: 4583-4588
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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[Sunlight] Champion Lovemaker and Leader of Men -- Ghazal 959

2012-05-21T09:22:00.001-07:00

~

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

"Champion Lovemaker and Leader of Men"

If you could not feel tenderness and hurt.
If you could live in the poorhouse of non-wanting
and never be indignant.
If you could take two steps away from the beautiful one
you want so much to lie down with.
If you could trust there's a spirit-wife
for you somewhere, a whole harem of wives,
a nest, a jewel-setting where
when you sit down, you know
you've always wanted to be.
If you could quit living here and go there.
If you could remember clearly what you've done.

But strong hooks hold you in this wind.
So many people love you,
you mix with the color and smell and taste of surroundings.
Champion lovemaker and leader of men!
You can't give up your public fascination,
or your compassion for the dying.

There's another compassion you don't know yet,
but you may, when griefs disappear.
It's a place,
with no questioning thorns in the pasture grass.
If you could remember you're not a crow,
but the mystic osprey that never needs to light,
you could be walking there
with Shams.

-- Ode 959
Version by Coleman Barks
"Open Secret - Versions of Rumi"
Threshold Book, 1984

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

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

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[Sunlight] The body is a narrow house

2012-05-18T08:25:00.000-07:00

~

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

The body is a narrow house,
and the soul within is cramped.
God ruined it so that He might make it a royal palace.
I am cramped like the embryo in the womb:
I've become nine months old.
This migration is now urgent,
but unless the throes of childbirth overtake my mother,
what am I to do?
In this prison I am amidst the fire.
My mother, my bodily nature,
with its death throes is birthing spirit,
so that the lamb may be released from the ewe,
and begin to graze in the green fields.
Come, open your womb, for this lamb has grown big.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Khâneh-ye tang va darun jân chang lut
kard virân tâ konad qasr-e moluk
Chang-lu kam chon janin andar rahem
noh maheh gashtam shod in naqlân mohemm
Gar na-bâshad dard-e zeh bar mâdaram
man darin zendân miyân-e âzaram
Mâdar-e tab`am ze dard-e marg-e khvish
mi konad rah tâ rahad bareh ze mish
Tâ charad ân bareh dar sahrâ-ye sabz
hin rahem bo-g'shâ keh gasht in bareh gabz

-- Mathnawi III: 3555-3559
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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[Sunlight] Climb to the Execution Place -- Ghazal 1138

2012-05-17T07:50:00.000-07:00

~

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

Climb to the Execution Place

Grief settles thick in the throat
and lungs: thousands of sorrows

being suffered, clouds of cruelty,
all somehow from love. Wail and be

thirsty for your own blood. Climb
to the execution place. It is time.

The Nile flows red: the Nile flows
pure. Dry thorns and aloe wood are

the same until fire touches. A
warrior and a mean coward stand here

similar until arrows rain. Warriors
love battle. A subtle lion with

strategy gets the prey to run toward
him, saying Kill me again. Dead

eyes look into living eyes. Don't
try to figure this out. Love's work

looks absurd, but trying to find a
meaning will hide it more. Silence.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 1138
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Soul of Rumi"
HarperSanFrancisco, 2001

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

~

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

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[Sunlight] From paradise to paradise - Ghazal 891

2012-05-16T09:36:00.001-07:00

~

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

one by one
our friends
filled with joy and quest
begin to arrive

one by one our friends
the worshipers of ecstasy
begin to arrive

more friends and sweethearts
filling you with love
are on their way

darlings of spring
journeying from gardens
begin to arrive

one by one
living their destiny
in this world

the ones who are gone are gone
but the ones who survived
begin to arrive

all their pockets
filled with gold
from endless treasures

bringing gifts
for the needy of the world
begin to arrive

the weak and the exhausted
the frightened by love
will be gone

the rejuvenated
the healthy and happy
begin to arrive

the pure souls
like the spectrums
of the shining sun

descending from the high heavens
to lowly earth
begin to arrive

luscious and happy
the blessed garden
whose heavenly fruits

spring forth
from the virgin winter
begin to arrive

those who are born
from the roots
of generosity and love

taking a journey
from paradise to paradise
begin to arrive

-- Ghazal 891
Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi -- Fountain of Fire"
Cal-Earth Press, 1994

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

~

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

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[Sunlight] "Partake of God's food"

2012-05-15T09:54:00.000-07:00

~

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

When it comes to material food, if you eat too little,
you'll stay hungry like the crow and become angry and anemic;
if you eat your fill, you'll get indigestion.
Partake of God's food, which is easily absorbed,
and ride like a ship on the ocean of spirit.
Be patient and persistent in fasting: keep expecting God's Food.
For God, who acts with goodness and is long-suffering,
bestows His gifts on those who are hopeful.
The full-fed person doesn't wait expectantly for bread,
wondering when it might arrive;
but the one who is without food keeps asking, "Where is it?"
hungrily hopeful, that one watches for it.
Unless you are hopeful, that abundant felicity will not come to you.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gar khvori kam gorosneh mâni cho zâgh
var khvori por girad ârughet demâgh
Az ta`âm Allâh o qut khvosh govâr
bar chonân daryâ cho kashti shaw sovâr
Bâsh dar ruzeh shakibâ o moserr
dam be-dam qut-e Khodâ-râ montazer
K-ân Khodâ-ye khub kâr bord-bâr
hadyeh-hâ-râ mi dehad dar entezâr
Entezâr-e nân na-dârad mard-e sir
keh sabok âyad vazifeh yâ keh dir
Bi navâ har dam hami guyad keh ku
dar majâ`at montazer dar jost o ju
Chon na-bâshi montazer na-âyad beh-to
ân navâleh-ye dawlat haftâd-e to

-- Mathnawi V: 1746-1753
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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[Sunlight] In Love that Long -- Ghazal 2325

2012-05-14T08:14:00.000-07:00

~

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

In Love that Long

I am here, this moment, inside the beauty,
the gift God has given,
our love:

this gold and circular sign
means we are free of any duty:

out of eternity
I turn my face to you, and into
eternity:

we have been in
love that long.

-- Ghazal (Ode) 2325
Version by Coleman Barks, with Nevit Ergin
"The Glance"
Viking-Penguin, 1999

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

~

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

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[Sunlight] "Lent by a luminous neighbor"

2012-05-11T09:12:00.000-07:00

~

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

O brother, Wisdom is pouring into you
from the beloved saint of God.
You've only borrowed it.
Although the house of your heart
is lit from inside,
that light is lent by a luminous neighbor.
Give thanks; don't be arrogant or vain;
pay attention without self-importance.
It's sad that this borrowed state
has put religious communities
far from religious communion.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ay barâdar bar to hekmat jâriyast
ân ze abdâl ast va bar to `âriyast
Garche dar khvod khâneh nuri yâftast
ân ze hamsâyeh-ye monavver tâftast
Shokr kon gherreh ma-shaw bini ma-kon
gushdâr va hich khvod bini ma-kon
Sad darigh o dard kin `âriyati
ommatân-râ dur kard az ommati

-- Mathnawi I: 3255-3258
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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[Sunlight] Without you -- Quatrain 910

2012-05-10T08:10:00.000-07:00

~

Today, Sunlight offers two presentations of Quatrain 910 - a
version by Barks, derived from a translation by Moyne, and a
version by Star, derived from a translation by Shiva:

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

I planted roses, but without you they were thorns.
I hatched peacock eggs. Snakes were inside.
Played the harp, sour music.
I went to the eighth heaven. It was the lowest hell.

- Version by Coleman Barks and John Moyne
Unseen Rain
Quatrains of Rumi
Threshold Books, 1986

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

I plant some flowers without you,
they become thorns.
I see a peacock, it turns into a snake.
I play the rubaab – nothing but noise.
I go to the highest heaven, it's a burning hell.

- Version by Jonathan Star and Shahram Shiva
A Garden Beyond Paradise
The Mystical Poetry of Rumi
Bantam Books, 1992

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

~

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

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[Sunlight] Be occupied with what you really value

2012-05-09T08:28:00.000-07:00

~

Sunlight offers a selection from the Mathnawi, Volume II,
verses 1505 - 1507, in a translation by Prof. William Chittick,
and in a version by the Helminskis, accompanied by a Persian
transliteration.

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

Whenever you entrust your heart to a thought,
something will be taken from you inwardly.
Whatever you think and acquire, the thief will
enter from that side where you feel safe.
So busy yourself with that which is better, so
that something less may be taken from you.

-- Mathnawi II:1505-1507
Translation by William Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany 1983

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

No matter what plans you make,
no matter what you acquire,
the thief will enter from the unguarded side.
Be occupied, then, with what you really value
and let the thief take something less.

-- Mathnawi II:1505-1507
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994

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

Harcheh andishi o tahsili koni
mi dar âyad dozd az ân su k-aymani
Pas bedân mashghul shaw kân behtarast
tâ ze to chizi bord kân kehtarast

-- Mathnawi II:1505-1507
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

~

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

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[Sunlight] Draw the Water

2012-05-08T08:13:00.000-07:00

~

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

Time is limited, and the abundant water flowing away.
Drink, before you fall to pieces.
There is a famous conduit, full of the Water of Life:
draw the Water, so that you may become fruitful.
We are drinking the water of Khidr*
from the river of the speech of the saints:
Come, thirsty one!
Even if you don't see the water, as skillfully as a blind person,
bring the jug to the river and dip it in.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Vaqt tang va mi ravad âb-e farâkh
pish az ân kaz hajr gardi shâkh shâkh
Shohreh kârizist por-e Âb-e hayât
Âb kash tâ bar damad az to nabât
Âb-e Khezr az ju-ye notq-e awliyâ
mi khvorim ay teshneh-ye ghâfel biyâ
Gar na-bini âb kurâneh be-fann
su-ye ju âvor sabu dar juy zan

*Khidr is the immortal "Green Man" who appears as a guide to those who are worthy.

-- Mathnawi III: 4300-4304
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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[Sunlight] The Presence of Your Face -- Ghazal 171

2012-05-07T08:54:00.000-07:00

~

Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 171, in a translation by Azima Melita Kolin and Maryam Mafi, in a version by Coleman Barks, and in a literal translation, with footnotes, from Dr. Ibrahim Gamard:

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

When you show your face
even the stones begin to dance with joy.
When you lift your veil
the wise ones lose themselves in awe.
The reflection of your face turns the water
into a golden shimmer
and softens even the fire into a tender glow.
When I see your face,
the Moon and the few floating stars around it
lose their glory.
The Moon is far too old and dim
to be compared with a mirror.
Your breath touched my soul and
I saw beyond all limits.
In your presence Mars,
the god of war sits peacefully
by the side of Venus.

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

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

When I see Your Face, the stones start spinning!
You appear; all studying wanders.
I lose my place.

Water turns pearly.
Fire dies down and doesn't destroy.

In Your Presence I don't want what I thought
I wanted, those three little hanging lamps.

Inside Your Face the ancient manuscripts
seem like rusty mirrors.

You breathe; new shapes appear,
and the music of a Desire as widespread
as Spring begins to move
like a great wagon.
Drive slowly.
Some of us walking alongside
are lame!

-- Version by Coleman Barks
"Like This"
Maypop, 1990

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

1941 When you reveal those rose-colored cheeks (of
yours),you make the stones whirl* from joy.
Put (your) head out from the veil once again, for the
sake of amazed lovers;
So that knowledge may lose the way, (and) the
intellectual may shatter (his) learning;
So that water may become a pearl* from your reflection,
(and) fire may quit war.
1945 With (the presence of) your beauty, I don't desire the
(lovely full) moon or those few little hanging lanterns (in
the heavens).
(And) with (the presence of) your face, I don't call the
ancient rusty sky a "mirror."
You breathed into and created this narrow world* in
another form once again.
O Venus,* make that harp melodious again, in desire for
his Mars-like eyes!

-- From "The Dîwân-é Kabîr" (or "Dîvân-é Shams-é Tabrîzî,"
"Kulliyât-é Shams") of Jalaluddin Rumi.
Translated from the Persian by Ibrahim Gamard
(7/01)
(c) Ibrahim Gamard (translation, footnotes, &
transliteration)

Footnotes:

(1941) you make the stones whirl: possibly a reference
to the rotation of millstones.
(1944) So that water may become a pearl: pearls were
believed to form when a drop of rain-water fell into the sea
and was consumed by an oyster. Here the process is imagined
as an immediate transformation.
(1947) You breathed into and created this narrow world:
in this line the Divine Beloved (God) is in the foreground.
It is a characteristic of Persian sufi poetry to be
ambiguous about whether the human beloved or the Divine
Beloved is addressed. Here, there is a reference to the
Divine creation with breath and sound: "He is the Originator
of the heavens and the earth. And if He decrees a thing, He
says to it, "Be!' And it is." (Qur'ân 2:117)
(1948) Venus: the planet associated with music and joy.

*******************

1941 chôn namây-î ân rokh-é gol-rang-râ
az Tarab dar charkh âr-î sang-râ

bâr-é dêgar sar berûn kon az Hijâb
az barây-é `âshiq-ân-é dang-râ

tâ ke dânesh gom kon-ad mar râh-râ
tâ ke `âqil be-sh'kan-ad farhang-râ

tâ ke âb az `aks-é tô gawhar shaw-ad
tâ ke âtesh wâ-hel-ad mar jang-râ

1945 man na-khwâh-am mâh-râ bâ Husn-é tô
w-ân dô-se qindîl-ak-é âhang-râ

man na-goy-am âyena bâ roy-é tô
âsmân-é kohna-yé por-rang-râ

dar damîd-î w-afrîd-î bâz tô
shakl-é dêgar în jahân-é tang-râ

dar hawây-é chashm-é chûn mirrîkh-é ô
sâz deh ay zuhra bâz ân chang-râ

(meter: XoXX XoXX XoX)

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

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

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[Sunlight] "Know them by their voice"

2012-05-04T08:54:00.000-07:00

~

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

If you hear a secret from a friend at midnight,
you'll know that friend when he speaks to you at dawn;
and if two people bring news to you in the night,
you'll recognize them both in the daylight by the way they speak.
If during the night the sound of a lion and the sound of a dog
enter someone's ear and he could not see them in the dark,
when day breaks and they begin to speak again,
the intelligent hearer will know them by their voice.
And so it is, both the Devil and the angelic Spirit
present us with objects of desire
to awaken our power of choice.
There is an invisible strength within us;
when it recognizes two opposing objects of desire, it grows stronger.

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

Nim shab chon be-shenavi râzi ze dust
chon sokhan guyad sahar dâni keh ust
Var do kas dar shab khabar ârad torâ
ruz az goftan shenâsi har do-râ
Bâng-e shir o bâng-e sag dar shab resid
surat-e har do ze târiki na-did
Ruz shod chon bâz dar bâng âmadand
pas shenâsadeshân ze bâng ân hushmand
Mokhallas-e in keh Div o Ruh `orzeh-dâr
har do hastand az tatemmeh-ye ekhtiyâr
Ekhtiyâri hast dar mâ nâ-padid
chon do matlab did âyad dar mazid

-- Mathnawi V:3000-3005
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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

~

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

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[Sunlight] "Without the eyes"

2012-05-03T08:01:00.000-07:00

~

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

Without the eyes – two clouds – the lightning of the heart:
The fire of God's threat, how could it be allayed?
How would the herbage grow of union, sweet to taste?
How would the fountains all gush forth with water pure?
How would the rosebed tell its secret to the meadow?
How would the violet make contracts with jasmine?
How would the plane tree lift its hands in prayer, say?
How would the trees' heads toss free in the air of Love?
How would the blossoms shake their sleeves in days of
spring
To shed their lovely coins about the garden wide?
How would the tulip's cheek be red like flames and blood?
How would the rose draw out its gold now from its purse?
How would the ringdoves call like seekers, "Where, oh
where?"
How would the stork repeat his laklak from his soul,
To say: "O Helper high, Thine is the kingdom, Thine!"
How would the dust reveal the secrets of its heart?
How would the sky become a garden full of light?

-- Mathnawi II: 1655-64
Translation by Annemarie Schimmel
"I Am Wind, You are Fire"
Shambhala, 1992

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

~

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

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[Sunlight] Ready to drink every flame -- Ghacal 2154

2012-05-02T08:54:00.001-07:00

~

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

rocking and rolling
what have you been drinking
please let me know

you must be drunk
going house to house
wandering from street to street

who have you been with
who have you kissed
who's face have you been fondling

you are my soul
you are my life
i swear my life and love is yours

so tell me the truth
where is that fountainhead
the one you've been drinking from

don't hide this secret
lead me to the source
fill my jug over and over again

last night i finally caught
your attention in the crowd
it was your image filling my dream

telling me to stop this wandering
stop this search for
good and evil

i said my dear prophet
give me some of
that you've drunk for ecstasy of life

if i let you drink you said
any of this burning flame
it will scorch your mouth and throat

your portion has been
given already by heaven
ask for more at your peril

i lamented and begged
i desire much more
please show me the source

i have no fear
to burn my mouth and throat
i'm ready to drink every flame and more

-- Ghazal (0de) 2154
Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi - Fountain of Fire"
Cal-Earth Press, 1995

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

~

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

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[Sunlight] The Animal Soul

2012-05-01T08:05:00.000-07:00

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

The Animal Soul

There's part of us that's like an itch.
Call it the animal soul, a foolishness
that when we're in it, we make
hundreds of others around us itchy.

And there is an intelligent soul
with another desire, more like sweet basil,
or the feel of a breeze.

Listen and be thankful even for scolding
that comes from the intelligent soul.
It flows out close to where you flowed out.

But that itchiness wants to put food
in our mouths that will make us sick,

feverish with the aftertaste of kissing
a donkey's rump. It's like blackening your robe
against a kettle without being anywhere
near a table of companionship.

The truth of a being human is an empty table
made of soul-intelligence.

Gradually reduce what you give your animal soul,
the breath that after all overflows from sunlight.

The animal soul itself spilled out
and sprouted from the other.

Taste more often what nourishes your clear light,
and you'll have less use for the smokey oven.

You'll bury that baking equipment in the ground!

-- Mathnawi IV: 1943-1959
Version by Coleman Barks
"Say I Am You"
Maypop, 1994

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

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

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[Sunlight] One dawn

2012-04-26T10:37:00.001-07:00

~

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

unknown existence
undiscovered beauty
that's how you are
so far
but
one dawn
just like a sun
right from within
you will arise

-- From Ghazael 2840
Translation by Nader Khalili
Rumi, Dancing the Flame
Cal-Earth Press, 2001

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

~

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

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[Sunlight] Slaking your spiritual thirst

2012-04-25T09:02:00.000-07:00

~

Today, Sunlight offers a selection from Mathnawi VI, verses 66-73, in an interpretive version by Coleman Barks, and in the translation by Reynold Nicholson upon which Barks based his version

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

Maybe you can't drink the entire Oxus River
but don't deny you're thirsty!

You want a spirit-drenching?
Dig a hole in this book, the Mathnawi,
this island. Make holes
so the ocean can flow up through.
Dig and make it porous
until it's all seawater.

Wind moves word-leaves off the surface
showing one color, clearness.

Beneath you, coral branches
and ocean-peaches.

When the Mathnawi sinks
with your digging, it loses its words.
Speaker, listener, language,
Bread-giver, bread-taker, bread.
The categories dissolve
into One Water.

-- Version by Coleman Barks
"Like This"
Maypop, 1990

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

Still, if it is impossible to drain (drink) the Oxus, one cannot
deny one's self as much (water) as will slate thirst.
If you are thirsting for the spiritual Ocean, make a breach in
the island of the Mathnawi.
Make such a great breach that at every moment you will see
the Mathnawi to be only spiritual.
When the wind sweeps away the straw from the (surface of)
the river-water, the water displays its unicolouredness.
Behold the fresh branches of coral, behold the fruits grown
from the water of the spirit!
When it (the Mathnawi) is made single (and denuded) of
words and sounds and breaths, it leaves all that (behind) and
becomes the (spiritual) Ocean.
The speaker of the word and the hearer of the word and the
words (themselves) - all three become spirit in the end.
The bread-giver and the bread-receiver and the wholesome
bread become single (denuded) of their forms and are turned
into earth . . .

-- Translated by Reynold A. Nicholson
"The Mathnawi of Jalalu'ddin Rumi"
Published and Distributed by
The Trustees of The "E.J.W. Gibb Memorial"

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

~

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

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[Sunlight] Deliver me from this imprisonment of free will

2012-04-24T09:06:00.000-07:00

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

Deliver me from this imprisonment of free will,
O gracious and long-suffering Sustainer!
The one-way pull on the Straight Path*
is better than the two-way pull of perplexity.
Though You are the only goal of these two ways,
still this duality is agnonizing to the spirit.
Though the destination of these two ways is You alone,
still the battle is never like the banquet.
Listen to the explanation God gave in the Qur'ân:
they shrank from bearing it.**
This perplexity in the heart is like war:
when a man is perplexed he says,
"I wonder whether this is better for my situation or that."
In perplexity the fear of failure and the hope of success
always are in conflict with each other, now advancing, now retreating.
From You came this ebb and flow within me;
otherwise, O glorious One, this sea of mine was still.
From that source from which You gave me this perplexity,
likewise now, graciously give me clarity.

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

Ay Khodâvand-e Karim o bordbâr
deh amânam zin doshâkheh-ye ekhtiyâr
Jazb-e yekrâheh-ye Sirât al-mustaqim*
beh ze do rah-e taraddod ay Karim
Zin do rah garcheh hameh maqsad Toyi
lik khvod jân kandan âmad in doyi
Zin do rah garcheh be-joz-e To `azm nist
lik hargez razm hamchon bazm nist
Dar Nabi be-shenaw bayânesh az Khodâ
âyat-e ashfaqna an yahmilnahâ*
In taraddod hast dar del chon vaghâ
"kin bovad beh yâ keh ân hâl-e merâ"
Dar taraddod mi zanad bar hamdegar
khawf o omid behi dar karr o farr
Avvalam in jazr o madd az To resid
var nah sâken bovad in bahr ay Majid
Ham az ânjâ kin taraddod dâdiyam
bi taraddod kon merâ ham az karam

*al-Fâtihah, 6
**al-Ahzâb, 72

-- Mathnawi VI: 203-211
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

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

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[Sunlight] Cup and Ocean

2012-04-23T10:58:00.000-07:00

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

Cup and Ocean

These forms we seem to be are cups floating in an ocean
of living consciousness.

They fill and sink without leaving an arc of bubbles or
any good-bye spray. What we

are is that ocean, too near to see, though we swim in it
and drink it in. Don't

be a cup with a dry rim, or someone who rides all night
and never knows the horse

beneath his thighs, the surging that carries him along.

-- Mathnawi 1, 1109-16
Version by Coleman Barks
"The Soul of Rumi"
HarperCollins, 2001

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

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[Sunlight] Generosity

2012-04-20T10:07:00.000-07:00

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

Generosity, then, comes from the eye—
not from the hand—it's seeing that matters:
only one who sees is saved.

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

Pas sakhâ az chashm âmad nah ze dast
did dârad kâr joz binâ na-rast

-- Mathnawi II: 900
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

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

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[Sunlight] Be drunk in love -- Ghazal 455

2012-04-19T09:27:00.001-07:00

~

Today, Sunlight offers Ghazal 455 (also numbered as N13 by Nicholson), in a version by Helminski, and in translation by Arberry:

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

The Inner Garment of Love

A soul which is not clothed
with the inner garment of Love
should be ashamed of its existence.

Be drunk with Love,
for Love is all that exists.
Where is intimacy found
if not in the give and take of Love.

If they ask what Love is,
say: the sacrifice of will.
If you have not left your will behind,
you have no will at all.

The lover is a king of kings
with both worlds beneath him;
and a king does not regard
what lies at his feet.

Only Love and the lover
can resurrect beyond time.
Give your heart to this;
the rest is second-hand.

How long will you embrace
a lifeless beloved?
Embrace that entity
to which nothing can cling.

What sprouts up every spring
will wither by autumn,
but the rose garden of Love
is always green.

Both the rose and the thorn
appear together in spring,
and the wine of the grape
is not without its headaches.

Don't be an impatient
bystander on this path -
by God there's no death
worse than expectation.

Set your heart on hard cash
if you are not counterfeit,
and listen to this advice
if you are not a slave:

Don't falter on the horse
of the body; go more lightly on foot.
God gives wings to those
who are not content to ride an ass.

Let go of your worries
and be completely clear-hearted,
like the face of a mirror
that contains no images.

When it is empty of forms,
all forms are contained in it.
No face would be ashamed
to be so clear.

If you want a clear mirror,
behold yourself
and see the shameless truth
which the mirror reflects.

If metal can be polished
to a mirror-like finish,
what polishing might the mirror
of the heart require?

Between the mirror and the heart
is this single difference:
the heart conceals secrets,
while the mirror does not.

-- Version by Kabir Helminski
"Love is a Stranger"
Threshold Books, 1993

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

That spirit which wears not true love as a garment is
better not to have been; its being is nothing but a
disgrace.
Be drunk in love, for love is all that exists; without the
commerce of love there is no admittance to the Beloved.
They say, "What is love?" Say, "The abandonment of free
will." He who has not escaped out of free will, no free will
has he.
The lover is an emperor; the two worlds are scattered over
him; the king pays no heed to the scattering.
Love it is and the lover that remain till all eternity;
set not your heart on aught but this, for it is merely
borrowed.
How long will you embrace a dead beloved? Embrace the soul
which naught embraces.
What was born of spring dies in the season of autumn;
love's rosebower receives no replenishment from spring.
The rose that comes of spring, the thorn is its companion;
the wine that comes of pressed grapes is not exempt from
crop-sickness.
Be not an expectant spectator on this path; for by Allah,
there is no death worse than expectancy.
Set your heart on the true coin, if you are not
counterfeit; give ear to this subtlety, if you lack an
earring.
Tremble not on the body's steed; fare lighter afoot; God
gives wings to him who rides not on the body.
Let go care and become wholly clear of heart, like the face
of a mirror without image and picture
When it has become clear of images, all images are
contained in it; that clear-faced one is not ashamed of any
man's face.
Would you have your self clear of blemish? Gaze upon Him,
for He is not ashamed or afraid of the truth.
Since the steely face gained this skill from purity, what
shall the heart's face, which is without dust, discover?
I said, "What shall it discover?" No, I will not say;
silence is better, lest the heart-ravisher should say, "He
cannot keep a secret.

-- Translation by A.J. Arberry
"Mystical Poems of Rumi 1"
University of Chicago Press, 1991

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

~

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Sunlight

[Sunlight] "That knowledge depended on this journeying"

[Sunlight] "Why accept only a doorkeepers job?" -- Ghazal 1391

[Sunlight] Through this fire  Ghazal 685

[Sunlight] "Rub your eye well"

[Sunlight] Champion Lovemaker and Leader of Men -- Ghazal 959

[Sunlight] The body is a narrow house

[Sunlight] Climb to the Execution Place -- Ghazal 1138

[Sunlight] From paradise to paradise - Ghazal 891

[Sunlight] "Partake of God's food"

[Sunlight] In Love that Long -- Ghazal 2325

[Sunlight] "Lent by a luminous neighbor"

[Sunlight] Without you -- Quatrain 910

[Sunlight] Be occupied with what you really value

[Sunlight] Draw the Water

[Sunlight] The Presence of Your Face -- Ghazal 171

[Sunlight] "Know them by their voice"

[Sunlight] "Without the eyes"

[Sunlight] Ready to drink every flame -- Ghacal 2154

[Sunlight] The Animal Soul

[Sunlight] One dawn

[Sunlight] Slaking your spiritual thirst

[Sunlight] Deliver me from this imprisonment of free will

[Sunlight] Cup and Ocean

[Sunlight] Generosity

[Sunlight] Be drunk in love -- Ghazal 455

[Sunlight] "Why accept only a doorkeepers job?" -- Ghazal 1391

[Sunlight] Through this fire Ghazal 685