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RUMI PAGE
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LIKE THE NEW YEAR
by Rumi
i've come again
like a new year
to crash the gate
of this old prison
i've come again
to break the teeth and claws
of this man-eating
monster we call life
i've come again
to puncture the
glory of the cosmos
who mercilessly
destroys humans
i am the falcon
hunting down the birds
of black omen
before their flights
i gave my word
at the outset to
give my life
with no qualms
i pray to the Lord
to break my back
before i break my word
how do you dare to
let someone like me
intoxicated with love
enter your house
you must know better
if i enter
i'll break all this and
destroy all that
if the sheriff arrives
i'll throw the wine
in his face
if your gatekeeper
pulls my hand
i'll break his arm
if the heavens don't go round
to my heart's desire
i'll crush its wheels and
pull out its roots
you have set up
a colorful table
calling it life and
asked me to your feast
but punish me if
i enjoy myself
what tyranny is this
-- Translation by Nader Khalili
"Rumi, Fountain of Fire"
Cal-Earth Press, 1994
I have returned, like the new year, to break the locks of the prison and smash the claws and teeth of these man-eating spheres.
The seven waterless planets are devouring the creatures of earth -- I will throw water upon their fire and still their winds.
I have flown from the beginning less King like a falcon in order to kill the parrot-eating owls* of this ruined monastery.
From the beginning I made a covenant to sacrifice my spirit to the King. May my spirit's back be broken should I break my pledge and covenant!
Today I am Asaf, Solomon's vizier, sword and firman in hand -- I will break the necks of any who are arrogant before the King.
If you see the garden of the rebellious flourishing for a day or two, grieve not! For I will cut their roots from a hidden direction.
I will break nothing but injustice or the evil- intentioned tyrant -- should anything have a mote of savor, then I am an unbeliever should I break it
Wherever there is a polo ball, it is taken away by the mallet of Oneness -- if a ball does not roll down the field. I will smash it with the blow of my mallet.
I now reside in His banquet, for I saw that His intention is Gentleness. I became the least servant of His way in order to break Satan's legs.
I was a single nugget, but when the Sultan's hand grasped hold of me, I became the mine -- if you place me in the balance, I will break the scales.
When you allow a ruined and drunken man like myself into your house, do you not know at least this much: I will break this and break that?
If the watchman shouts, "Hey!" I will pour a cup of wine on his head; and if the doorman seizes hold of me, I will break his arm.
If the spheres do not rotate round my heart, I will pull them up by the roots; if the heavens act with villainy, I will smash the turning heavens.
Thou hast spread the tablecloth of Generosity and invited me to lunch -- why doest Thou rebuke me when I break the bread?
No, no -- I sit at the head of Thy table, I am the chief of Thy guests. I will pour a cup or two of wine upon the guests and break their shame.
Oh Thou who inspires my spirit with poetry from within! Should I refuse and remain silent, I fear I would break Thy command.
If Shams-i Tabrizi should send me wine and make me drunk, I would be free of cares and break down the pillars of the universe.
-- Translation by William Chittick
"The Sufi Path of Love"
SUNY Press, Albany, 1984
Sunlight footnote:
*In Mowlana's world view, there are two spheres: the seen and the unseen, perceived also as light and the dark, or God (King) and arrogant humans who mock and impersonate their Creator. He sharply
divides the world of matter from the world of spirit (or soul as the embodied spirit). The birds of the light, such as parrots, eagles and
and falcons, are from the spirit world and are messengers of the
Beloved. They fly during the day and thrive in the light of sun. The
owl, on the other hand, is from the world of darkness, cannot
tolerate light, and becomes blind from the light of the divine. So it
is the enemy of the falcon, the nightingale and the parrot.
Compare this verse from the Mathnawi:
The spirit is the falcon, but bodily dispositions are crows. The falcon has received many wounds from crows and owls (M V: 842-843).
Courtesy: Sunlight---a Ghazal (Ode) 1375 from Rumi's "Diwan-e Shamsi Tabriz" ("The Collection of Shams"), in a poetic translation from
Nader Khalili, and in a literal translation from Prof. William Chittick:
Strip the raiment of pride from your body
Sunlight-owner@yahoogroups.com
Strip the raiment of pride from your body:
in learning, put on the garment of humility.
Soul receives from soul the knowledge of humility,
not from books or speech.
Though mysteries of spiritual poverty are within the seeker's heart,
she doesn't yet possess knowledge of those mysteries.
Let her wait until her heart expands and fills with Light:
God said, "Did We not expand your breast. . .?*
For We have put illumination there,
We have put the expansion into your heart."
When you are a source of milk, why are you milking another?
An endless fountain of milk is within you:
why are you seeking milk with a pail?
You are a lake with a channel to the Sea:
be ashamed to seek water from a pool;
For did We not expand. . .? Again, don't you possess the expansion?
Why are you going about like a beggar?
Contemplate the expansion of the heart within you,
that you may not be reproached with, Do you not see?**
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pas lebâs-e kebr birun kon ze tan
malbas-e zoll push dar âmukhtan
Dânesh ân-râ satânad jân ze jân
nah ze rah-e daftar o nah az zabân
Dar del-e sâlek agar hast ân romuz
ramz dâni nist sâlek-râ hanuz
Tâ delesh-râ sharh ân sâzad ziyâ
pas A-lam nashrah* be-farmâyad Khodâ
Keh darun sineh sharhet dâdeh-'im
sharh andar sineh-'et be-nehâdeh-'im
To hanuz az khârej ân-râ tâlebi
mohlebi az digarân chon hâlebi
Cheshmeh-ye shirast dar to bi kenâr
to cherâ mi shir juyi az taghâr
Manfazi dâri be-bahr ay âb-gir
nang dâr az âb jostan az ghadir
Keh A-lam nashrah nah sharhet hast bâz
chon shodi to sharh ju o kodyeh sâz
Dar negar dar sharh-e del dar andarun
tâ niyâbad ta`neh-ye Lâ tubsirűn**
*al-Sharh, 1
**al-Dhâriyât, 21
-- Mathnawi V:1061; 1064-1072
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)
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THE MELTING SNOW
by Rumi
(translated version by Nasir Shamsi)
The worldly goods and body are mortal, like melting snow; yet Allah buys them, it is said Allah has purchased.*
(Yet) you prefer the melting snow to Allah's offer, it's because you are in doubt (shakk) and lack conviction (yaqeen).
You think you have a great idea in you ! but it won't fly to that garden of certainty.
Oh son ! Every idea craves for conviction flapping its wings in its pursuit.
When it attains knowledge (ilm) , then the wings turn into feet, and the knowledge adds its fragrance to the garden.
In a certain way, knowledge is inferior to certainty but it's above idea.
Know that knowledge is a seeker of certainty (yaqeen), and certainty is a seeker of vision and intuition.
Mâl o tan barfand rizân-e fanâ
Haqq kharidâresh keh Allâha-shtarâ*
Barf-hâ ze ân az saman-e avvalistet
keh hayi dar shakk yaqini nistet
Vin `ajab zannast dar to ay mohin
keh na-mi parad be-bostân-e yaqin
Har gomân teshneh-ye yaqin ast ay pesar
mi zanad andar tazâyod bâl o par
Chon resad dar `elm pas par pâ shavad
mar yaqin-râ `elm-e u buya shavad
Zânke hast andar Tariq-e moftatan
`elm kamtar az yaqin va fawq-e zann
`Elm juyâ-ye yaqin bâshad be-dân
vân yaqin juyâ-ye didast va `iyân
* sura Taubah, 111
-- Mathnawi III: 4115-4121
Version by Nasir Shamsi
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)
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