Prelude to the Masnavi - The Tale of the Flute

Masnavi Maanavi of Rumi, Lines 1-16, Translated on 4-22-2008
The Inner Couplets by Rumi

The Tale of the Flute

Listen to the flute; it has a tale to tell,
It complains of all separations,

Since I was torn from my reedbed,
Men and women have moaned from my cry

Give me someone torn in separation
So I can tell them of the pain of longing

Whoever is left far from their source
Will seek to regain their time of union
[Will seek to regain a way of recourse]

My secret is not far from my cry
Yet they haven’t that light, the ear and eye

Body from soul; soul from body are not hidden
People have no command of this inner vision

The air in the flute is really fire
Those without this fire; go expire!

Into the flute fell the fire of love,
The bubble of wine is the bubble of love

Those cut from their love should sit with the flute
And have its tales rend asunder their veils

Who has ever seen: as one, poison and antidote, as the flute?
Who has beheld a more eager friend, as the flute?

The flute sings of the way with tribulations
It tells us tales of insane love

The secret keeper of this mind is none other than no-mind
Did you know: the tongue’s best customer is the ear

In this sorrow of ours; the days go by
The days go by with burning longing

But as the days go by, utter “Begone! No fear!
Stay with me, who besides you, there is Pure."

[Gar rooz ha raftand, goo ro, baak nist!
To beman, ey anke joz to, pak nist!]