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Sunday, September 18, 2022

Sit with one who knows the heart

Rumi, Book of Shams,  Ghazal 563 

Sit, my Heart, with someone who truly knows about the heart, 
Sit beneath the shade of a tree that has fresh fruit and flowers, 

Don't wander aimless in this market of dubious sellers 
Only enter the store you know sells sweetness and sugar

Without a scale to weigh your purchase, soon, someone is bound to swindle you
They will color counterfeit coins an ornate yellow and you'll think it's gold

The deceivers will tell you, wait here by the door, I'll be right back 
Don't wait for them there, for that house has two doors

Don't go sit with any kitchen boiling stew, bowl in hand
For each boiling pot has something different brewing inside

Not every sea will have pearls and not every reed will be sweet
Not every eye has power to see; not every downside conceals an upside







دلا نزد کسی بنشین که او از دل خبر دارد به زیر آن درختی رو که او گل‌های تر دارد در این بازار عطاران مرو هر سو چو بی‌کاران به دکان کسی بنشین که در دکان شکر دارد ترازو گر نداری پس تو را زو رهزند هر کس یکی قلبی بیاراید تو پنداری که زر دارد تو را بر در نشاند او به طراری که می‌آید تو منشین منتظر بر در که آن خانه دو در دارد به هر دیگی که می‌جوشد میاور کاسه و منشین که هر دیگی که می‌جوشد درون چیزی دگر دارد نه هر کلکی شکر دارد نه هر زیری زبر دارد نه هر چشمی نظر دارد نه هر بحری گهر دارد بنال ای بلبل دستان ازیرا ناله مستان میان صخره و خارا اثر دارد اثر دارد بنه سر گر نمی‌گنجی که اندر چشمه سوزن اگر رشته نمی‌گنجد از آن باشد که سر دارد چراغست این دل بیدار به زیر دامنش می‌دار از این باد و هوا بگذر هوایش شور و شر دارد چو تو از باد بگذشتی مقیم چشمه‌ای گشتی حریف همدمی گشتی که آبی بر جگر دارد چو آبت بر جگر باشد درخت سبز را مانی که میوه نو دهد دایم درون دل سفر دارد

Saturday, September 10, 2022

Where are you?


 

Ghazal 206 - Divane Shams


You from whom all good flows , who are you, 

The flower at the door of the garden, 

Tell me where are you, where are you?


Lily of the Valley with a hundred tongues

Did not give me any sign that it  found you

Don’t go, don’t seek any thing from me but prayer, and exaltation!


A sweet mouth is fed from the palm of your hand

O Full Moon of the Garden.

Some don’t know about your palm, 

Even if they benefit from its green thumb, raising trees and plants.


If the pine grew tall how could it match your height?

Flower if it used its hundred eyes 

would not be able to see you.


If the bird sang a sermon or the flower flourished and opened

and the grass grew sharp, they 

still could not catch up and see you.


The drink of a flower comes from a cloud, 

the drink of the heart comes from patience

Clouds, the plant’s best friend and light is a friend to patience 


They are lined up everywhere, 

people, ghouls and demons

But in this tavern none of them can set foot.


Search for me in any direction and say anything you want

You won’t make a hair of progress 

until I reveal some direction


the surface of this water is warmed by the suns’ rays

Again its the sun alone that can raise 

it to to the height of the sky







Saturday, July 16, 2022

The Moon is my Master


 

The Moon is my Master - Ghazal 2219

Rumi, Translation Ali Arsanjani

 

I am a servant of the Moon, speak to me of nothing more 

In my presence speak of light, speak of sweetness – say no more

 

Don’t tell me about your problems, speak to me only of treasures

And don’t worry if they think, you’ve out of touch — say no more

 

Last night I went insane; love saw me and called out:

Don’t scream: I’m on my way, don’t wring your garments! Say no more

 

I said, my Beloved, this fear is for something else …

Love said: there is nothing else, any more — say no more

 

I will whisper secret words in your ear

Nod if you agree, only gesture, say no more

 

Along the way of the heart a beautiful, life-giving Moon appeared for me

Traveling the way of the heart is heart-warming – say no more

 

my heart “what kind of Moon are you ?” and it replied

This is unfathomable for you, move on and say no more

 

I asked in awe: “Is this the face of an Angel or of human”?

My Moonheart said “this is neither Angel or Man, say no more…”

 

Please tell me what it is, I am uprooted in confusion, I begged

He replied “you can be uprooted and confused, but say no more”

 

You who reside in this house of thoughts and images

Get up and leave, take all your belongings, say no more

 

I begged:  show me Fatherly kindness; how I expect Divinity to treat me!

He replied, “my dear son, you are right, but say no more!”


Sunday, July 3, 2022

The Secret of the Outward Face

 




Ghazal 63 from Rumi's Divan -- The Book of Shams

What is It whose reflection creates sweetness of the face?
When It hides, as if a demon had give birth to that face?

If it even shines on the surface, the world will come together in love
And if it hides, you will only see sadness; not a happy face



[غزل شمارهٔ ۶۳]

چه چیزست آنک عکس او حلاوت داد صورت را
چو آن پنهان شود گویی که دیوی زاد صورت را
چو بر صورت زند یک دم ز عشق آید جهان برهم
چو پنهان شد درآید غم نبینی شاد صورت را
اگر آن خود همین جانست چرا بعضی گران جانست
بسی جانی که چون آتش دهد بر باد صورت را
وگر عقلست آن پرفن چرا عقلی بود دشمن
که مکر عقل بد در تن کند بنیاد صورت را
چه داند عقل کژخوانش مپرس از وی مرنجانش
همان لطف و همان دانش کند استاد صورت را
زهی لطف و زهی نوری زهی حاضر زهی دوری
چنین پیدا و مستوری کند منقاد صورت را
جهانی را کشان کرده بدن‌هاشان چو جان کرده
برای امتحان کرده ز عشق استاد صورت را
چو با تبریز گردیدم ز شمس الدین بپرسیدم
از آن سری کز او دیدم همه ایجاد صورت را




Saturday, March 19, 2022

We Rise Again

 Again we Rise

 

[Rumi's Ghazal 1674]

We are from above and upward we go ! Again We rise!

We are from the ocean and in waves we go! Again We rise!


We are the ark, vessel of Noah in the storm of the soul

without these hands or feet from earth, again we rise!


out of our Self like a wave we emerge, we rise

we see ourselves from deep within and again we rise!


like a needle we thread the narrow way of Truth

We weave through lies with a single thread and again we rise!


to travelers say,  while on the way, remember your home,

That way we know, why we continue to go, and again we rise!


If you have ever sung "we return to the One"

you will know, how far we can go, for again we rise!


Our constellation doesn’t go around the moon

We fly through space so close to Venus and again we rise!  


Nothing deters our determined minds 

from the great to the greatest, again We rise!


in our silos of wheat get rid of these mice

your blindness won’t see, how clearly, we rise!


A moment of silence before we depart, 

this chivalry, you don’t need to follow, for again we rise!


on our way to a mythical place where the Phoenix hides

Don’t block the way to the magical bird in this mountain pass 


Who are you to block our way to where the Simorgh lies

from above we are and upward we go ! and Again We rise!








Saturday, February 19, 2022

You arise from within like words I speak

 

You arise from within like words I speak

[Ghazal 173]

I drew you out From a fire,  then placed you in another type of fire

You are born of my heart like the words that I speak

Like those words in my speech I finally swallowed you 

You are with me and don't ask me what is new

I am magic and I cast my magic on you

So no evil eye falls on you, I gave you the work over and that upset you

Your destiny was renewed from what it brought, this palm was chivalrous to you.





Wednesday, January 26, 2022

We Rise

Rumi's Ghazal 1674

We rise! we are from above and toward it we go 

We are from the ocean and toward it we go


...

...


We are the ark, the vessel of Noah in the storm of the soul

And so we travel without these earthly hands or feet


Like a wave, our head emerges out of our Self

Again we observe ourselves from within


The way of Truth is narrow like a needle's thread

We move through like a single thread


Remember your home and fellow travelers while on the way

With that you know we continue our travel every moment



If you have recited "we return to Him"

you will known how far we can go


Our constellation does not revolve around the moon

So we have to travel around Venus


Our minds filled with keen determination

We can rise from the great to the greatest


Let the blind mice leave our silos of food

Otherwise your blindness will not see how clearly we see


OK let's be silent now and bid us farewell

Don't follow us for we rise with great chivalry


Who are you to us? Don't block our way

We are on our way to legendary mountain that hides the Simorgh and Phoenix.  


 

ما ز بالاییم و بالا می رویم

ما ز دریاییم و دریا می رویم

ما از آن جا و از این جا نیستیم

ما ز بی‌جاییم و بی‌جا می رویم

لااله اندر پی الالله است

همچو لا ما هم به الا می رویم

قل تعالوا آیتیست از جذب حق

ما به جذبه حق تعالی می رویم

کشتی نوحیم در طوفان روح

لاجرم بی‌دست و بی‌پا می رویم

همچو موج از خود برآوردیم سر

باز هم در خود تماشا می رویم

راه حق تنگ است چون سم الخیاط

ما مثال رشته یکتا می رویم

هین ز همراهان و منزل یاد کن

پس بدانک هر دمی ما می رویم

خوانده‌ای انا الیه راجعون

تا بدانی که کجاها می رویم

اختر ما نیست در دور قمر

لاجرم فوق ثریا می رویم

همت عالی است در سرهای ما

از علی تا رب اعلا می رویم

رو ز خرمنگاه ما ای کورموش

گر نه کوری بین که بینا می رویم

ای سخن خاموش کن با ما میا

بین که ما از رشک بی‌ما می رویم

ای که هستی ما ره را مبند

ما به کوه قاف و عنقا می رویم