The Question -- Every Day I Ponder

Every day I ponder and at night, these thoughts linger…
Why am I remiss about how I feel deep inside my heart?

Where do I come from? Why was I brought here?

Where am I finally going, if you don't show me my homeland?

I am in wondrous awe: for how did He create me?

Or, for what purpose …?

 I know I come from the Unseen, certainly…

 I will shed my clothes there once again.

I am not from this world of dust; I am a bird from the Garden of Heaven

A bird that created a cage of this body, but for a few days

Glorious be the day that I fly to the Friend

To flutter around His head and flap my wings

Who is this in my ear, who hears, my song?

Or who is it who speaks through my mouth?

Who is it that is gazing out, through my eyes?

Or who is the Soul to whom I am a shirt?

 

Until You lead me and show me, beyond doubt, the way to my homeland

I will not rest for an instant, and waste not even a breath

Give me a taste of the wine of union, so that,

In the prison of Eternity, my drunken cry will shatter that silence

I didn't come here on my own volition to be able to return on my own

He who brought me will again lead me back to my homeland

Don't think I am constructing these verses on my own

While I remain conscious and aware, I will not rest for a breath 

 
[My dear master,] Shams of Tabriz, if you don't show me your face

I swear to God, I will shatter my already dead heart !

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روزها فکر من این است و همه شب سخنم 
که چرا غافل از احوال دل خویشتنم؟

Every day I ponder and at night, these thoughts linger…
Why am I remiss about how I feel deep inside my heart?

از کجا آمده ام؟ آمدنم بهر چه بود؟

به کجا می روم آخر ننمایی وطنم

Where do I come from? Why was I brought here?

Where am I finally going, if you don't show me my homeland?

 
مانده ام سخت عجب کز چه سبب ساخت مرا
یا چه بوده است مراد وی از این ساختنم

I am in wondrous awe: for how did He create me?

Or, for what purpose …?

 
جان که از عالم علویست یقین میدانم
رخت خود باز برآنم که همانجا فکنم

 I know I come from the Unseen, certainly…

 I will shed my clothes there once again.

مرغ باغ ملکوتم نیم از عالم خاک
چند روزی قفسی ساخته ام از بدنم

I am not from this world of dust; I am a bird from the Garden of Heaven

A bird that created a cage of this body, but for a few days

ای خوش آن روز که پرواز کنم تا بر دوست
به هوای سر کویش پر و بالی بزنم

Glorious be the day that I fly to the Friend

To flutter around His head and flap my wings

کیست در گوش که او میشنود آوازم
یاکدامیست سخن میکند اندر دهنم

 

Who is this in my ear, who hears, my song?

Or who is it who speaks through my mouth?

کیست در دیده که از دیده برون می نگرد
یا چه جانست نگویی که منش پیرهنم

Who is it that is gazing out, through my eyes?

Or who is the Soul to whom I am a shirt?

 
تا به تحقیق مرا منزل و ره ننمایی
یکدم آرام نگیرم نفسی دم نزنم

Until You lead me and show me, beyond doubt, the way to my homeland

I will not rest for an instant, and waste not even a breath

می وصلم بچشان تا در زندان ابد
از سر عربده مستانه بهم درشکنم

 

Give me a taste of the wine of union, so that,

In the prison of Eternity, my drunken cry will shatter that silence

من به خود نامدم این جا که به خود باز روم
آن که آورد مرا باز برد در وطنم

I didn't come here on my own volition to be able to return on my own

He who brought me will again lead me back to my homeland

تو مپندار که من شعر بخود می گویم
تا که هشیارم و بیدار یکی دم نزنم

 

Don't think I am constructing these verses on my own

While I remain conscious and aware, I will not rest for a breath 

 
شمس تبریز اگر روی بمن ننمایی
والله این قالب مردار بهم درشکنم

 

[My dear master, ] Shams of Tabriz, if you don't show me your face

I swear to God, I will shatter my already dead heart !