SELECTIONS FROM THE "MASNAVI"
Project Gutenberg EPUB edition
Jalal al-Din Rumi, Maulana and Davis, F. Hadland (Frederick Hadland)
SORROW QUENCHED IN THE BELOVED Through grief my days are as labour and sorrow, My days move on, hand in hand with anguish. Yet, though my days vanish thus, 'tis no matter, Do Thou abide, O Incomparable Pure One.
THE MUSIC OF LOVE Hail to thee, then, O LOVE, sweet madness! Thou who healest all our infirmities! Who art the Physician of our pride and self conceit! Who art our Plato and our Galen! Love exalts our earthly bodies to heaven, And makes the very hills to dance with joy! O lover, 'twas Love that gave life to Mount Sinai, When "it quaked, and Moses fell down in a swoon." Did my Beloved only touch me with His lips, I too, like a flute, would burst out into melody.
"WHEN THE ROSE HAS FADED" When the rose has faded and the garden is withered, The song of the nightingale is no longer to be heard. The BELOVED is all in all, the lover only veils Him; The BELOVED is all that lives, the lover a dead thing. When the lover feels no longer LOVE'S quickening, He becomes like a bird who has lost its wings. Alas! How can I retain my senses about me, When the BELOVED shows not the Light of His countenance?
THE SILENCE OF LOVE Love is the astrolabe of God's mysteries. A lover may hanker after this love or that love, But at the last he is drawn to the KING of Love. However much we describe and explain Love, When we fall in love we are ashamed of our words. Explanation by the tongue makes most things clear, But Love unexplained is better.
EARTHLY LOVE ESSENTIAL TO THE LOVE DIVINE In one 'twas said, "Leave power and weakness alone; Whatever withdraws thine eyes from God is an idol." In one 'twas said, "Quench not thy earthy torch, That it may be a light to lighten mankind. If thou neglectest regard and care for it, Thou wilt quench at midnight the lamp of Union."
THE ETERNAL SPLENDOUR OF THE BELOVED Why dost Thou flee from the cries of us on earth? Why pourest Thou sorrow on the heart of the sorrowful? O Thou who, as each new morn dawns from the east, Art seen uprising anew, like a bright fountain! What excuse makest Thou for Thy witcheries? O Thou whose lips are sweeter than sugar, Thou that ever renewest the life of this old world, Hear the cry of this lifeless body and heart!
WOMAN Woman is a ray of God, not a mere mistress, The Creator's Self, as it were, not a mere creature!
THE DIVINE UNION Mustafa became beside himself at that sweet call, His prayer failed on "the night of the early morning halt." He lifted not head from that blissful sleep,[1] So that his morning prayer was put off till noon. On that, his wedding night, in the presence of his bride, His pure soul attained to kiss her hands. Love and mistress are both veiled and hidden. Impute it not a fault if I call Him "Bride."
"HE KNOWS ABOUT IT ALL"[2] He who is from head to foot a perfect rose or lily, To him spring brings rejoicing. The useless thorn desires the autumn, That autumn may associate itself with the garden; And hide the rose's beauty and the thorn's shame, That men may not see the bloom of the one and the other's shame; That common stone and pure ruby may appear all as one. True, the Gardener knows the difference in the autumn, But the sight of One is better than the world's sight.
RESIGNATION THE WAY TO PERFECTION Whoso recognises and confesses his own defects Is hastening in the way that leads to Perfection! But he advances not towards the Almighty Who fancies himself to be perfect.
LOVE THE SOURCE OF LIGHT RATHER THAN VANISHING FORM Whatsoever is perceived by sense He annuls, But He stablishes that which is hidden from the senses. The lover's love is visible, his Beloved hidden. The Friend is absent, the distraction He causes present. Renounce these affections for outward forms, Love depends not on outward form or face. Whatever is beloved is not a mere empty form, Whether your beloved be of the earth or heaven. Whatever is the form you have fallen in love with— Why do you forsake it the moment life leaves it? The form[3] is still there; whence then this disgust at it? Ah! lover, consider well what is really your beloved. If a thing perceived by outward senses is the beloved, Then all who retain their senses must still love it; And since Love increases constancy, How can constancy fail while form abides? But the truth is, the sun's beams strike the wall, And the wall only reflects that borrowed light. Why give your heart to mere stones, O simpleton? Go! Seek the Source of Light which shineth alway!
THE RELIGION OF LOVE The sect of lovers is distinct from all others, Lovers have a religion and a faith of their own. Though the ruby has no stamp, what matters it? Love is fearless in the midst of the sea of fear.
"PAIN IS A TREASURE!" Pain is a treasure, for it contains mercies; The kernel is soft when the rind is scraped off. O brother, the place of darkness and cold Is the fountain of Life and the cup of ecstasy. So also is endurance of pain and sickness and disease. For from abasement proceeds exaltation. The spring seasons are hidden in the autumns, And the autumns are charged with springs.
SPIRIT GREATER THAN FORM If spiritual manifestations had been sufficient, The creation of the world had been needless and vain. If spiritual thought were equivalent to love of God, Outward forms of temples and prayers would not exist.
THE BELOVED COMPARED TO "A SWEET GARDEN" "We bow down our heads before His edict and ordinance, We stake precious life to gain His favour. While the thought of the Beloved fills our hearts, All our work is to do Him service and spend life for Him. Wherever He kindles His destructive torch, Myriads of lovers' souls are burnt therewith. The lovers who dwell within the sanctuary Are moths burnt with the torch of the Beloved's face." O heart, haste thither, for God will shine upon you, And seem to you a sweet garden instead of a terror. He will infuse into your soul a new Soul, So as to fill you, like a goblet, with wine. Take up your abode in His Soul! Take up your abode in heaven, O bright full moon! Like the heavenly Scribe, He will open your heart's book That He may reveal mysteries unto you.
"BEHOLD THE WATER OF WATERS!" The sea itself is one thing, the foam another; Neglect the foam, and regard the sea with your eyes. Waves of foam rise from the sea night and day. You look at the foam ripples and not at the mighty sea. We, like boats, are tossed hither and thither, We are blind though we are on the bright ocean. Ah! you who are asleep in the boat of the body, You see the water; behold the Water of waters! Under the water you see there is another Water moving it. Within the spirit is a Spirit that calls it. * * * * * * * *¨* * * * * * * When you have accepted the Light, O beloved, When you behold what is veiled without a veil, Like a star you will walk upon the heavens.
WHERE LOVE IS A damsel said to her lover, "O fond youth, You have visited many cities in your travels; Which of those cities seems most delightful to you?" He made answer, "The city wherein my love dwells, In whatever nook my queen alights; Though it be as the eye of a needle, 'tis a wide plain; Wherever her Yusuf-like[4] face shines as a moon, Though it be the bottom of a well, 'tis Paradise. With thee, my love, hell itself were heaven. With thee a prison would be a rose-garden. With thee hell would be a mansion of delight, Without thee lilies and roses would be as flames of fire!"
THE LOVE OF THE BELOVED No lover ever seeks union with his beloved, But his beloved is also seeking union with him. But the lover's love[5] makes his body lean, While the Beloved's love makes her fair and lusty. When in this heart the lightning spark of love arises, Be sure this Love is reciprocated in that heart. When the Love of God arises in thy heart, Without doubt God also feels love for thee.
THE LOVE OF THE SOUL AND THE LOVE OF THE BODY The Love of the soul is for Life and the Living One, Because its origin is the Soul not bound to place. The Love of the soul is for wisdom and knowledge, That of the body for houses, gardens, and vine-yards; The love of the soul is for things exalted on high, That of the body for acquisition of goods and food. The Love, too, of Him on high is directed to the soul: Know this, for "He loves them that love Him."[6] The sum is this: that whoso seeks another, The soul of that other who is sought inclines to him.
"O LOVE, LOVE, AND HEART'S DESIRE OF LOVE!" Israfil of the resurrection-day of Love! Love, Love, and heart's desire of Love! Let thy first boon to me be this: To lend thine ear to my orisons, Though thou knowest my condition clearly, O protector of slaves, listen to my speech. A thousand times, O prince incomparable, Has my reason taken flight in desire to see thee, And to hear thee and to listen to thy words, And to behold thy life-giving smiles. Thy inclining thine ear to my supplications Is as a caress to my misguided soul.
DESTROY NOT EARTHLY BEAUTY: IT BEAUTIFIES THE SOUL Tear not thy plumage off, it cannot be replaced; Disfigure not thy face in wantonness, O fair one! That face which is bright as the forenoon sun— To disfigure it were a grievous sin. 'Twere paganism to mar such a face as thine The moon itself would weep to lose sight of it! Knowest thou not the beauty of thine own face? Quit this temper that leads thee to war with thyself! It is the claws of thine own foolish thoughts That in spite wound the face of thy quiet soul. Know such thoughts to be claws fraught with poison. Which score deep wounds on the face of thy soul.
THE DEVIL MAKES USE OF THE BEAUTY OF WOMEN Thus spake cursed Iblis to the Almighty, "I want a mighty trap to catch human game withal!" God gave him gold and silver and troops and horses, Saying, "You can catch my creatures with these." Iblis said, "Bravo!" but at the same time hung his lip, And frowned sourly like a bitter orange. Then God offered gold and jewels from precious mines To that laggard in the faith, Saying, "Take these other traps, O cursed one." But Iblis said, "Give me more, O blessed Defender." God gave him succulent and sweet and costly wines, And also store of silken garments. But Iblis said, "O Lord, I want more aids than these, In order to bind men in my twisted rope So firmly that Thy adorers, who are valiant men, May not, man-like, break my bonds asunder." * * * * * * * *¨* * * * * * * When at last God showed him the beauty of women, Which bereaves men of reason and self-control, Then Iblis clapped his hands and began to dance, Saying, "Give me these; I shall quickly prevail with these!"[7]
"LOVERS AND BELOVED HAVE BOTH PERISHED" Lovers and beloved have both perished; And not themselves only, but their love as well. 'Tis God alone who agitates these nonentities, Making one nonentity fall in love with another. In the heart that is no heart envy comes to a head, Thus Being troubles nonentity.[8]
"O ANGELS, BRING HIM BACK TO ME" "O angels, bring him back to me. Since the eyes of his heart were set on Hope, Without care for consequence I set him free, And draw the pen through the record of his sins!"
SELF-AGGRANDISEMENT AND VAINGLORY NO PART OF LOVE A lover was once admitted to the presence of his mistress, but, instead of embracing her, he pulled out a paper of sonnets and read them to her, describing her perfections and charms and his own love towards her at length. His mistress said to him, "You are now in my presence, and these lovers' sighs and invocations are a waste of time. It is not the part of a true lover to waste his time in this way. It shows that I am not the real object of your affection, but that what you really love is your own effusions and ecstatic raptures. I see, as it were, the water which I have longed for before me, and yet you withhold it. I am, as it were, in Bulgaria, and the object of your love is in Cathay. One who is really loved is the single object of her lover, the Alpha and Omega of his desires. As for you, you are wrapped up in your own amorous raptures, depending on the varying states of your own feelings, instead of being wrapped up in me."
"I AM THINE, AND THOU ART MINE!" Eternal Life is gained by utter abandonment of one's own life. When God appears to His ardent lover the lover is absorbed in Him, and not so much as a hair of the lover remains. True lovers are as shadows, and when the sun shines in glory the shadows vanish away. He is a true lover to God to whom God says, "I am thine, and thou art Mine!"
LOVE NEEDS NO MEDIATOR When one has attained Union with God he has no need of intermediaries. Prophets and apostles are needed as links to connect ordinary man with God, but he who hears the "inner voice" within him has no need to listen to outward words, even of apostles. Although that intercession is himself dwelling in God, yet my state is higher and more lovely than his. Though he is God's agent, yet I desire not his intercession to save me from evil sent me by God, for evil at God's hand seems to me good. What seems mercy and kindness to the vulgar seems wrath and vengeance to God-intoxicated saints.
HUMANITY THE REFLECTION OF THE BELOVED Parrots are taught to speak without understanding the words. The method is to place a mirror between the parrot and the trainer. The trainer, hidden by the mirror, utters the words, and the parrot, seeing his own reflection in the mirror, fancies another parrot is speaking, and imitates all that is said by the trainer behind the mirror. So God uses prophets and saints as mirrors whereby to instruct men, viz., the bodies of these saints and prophets; and men, when they hear the words proceeding from these mirrors, are utterly ignorant that they are really being spoken by "Universal Reason" or the "Word of God" behind the mirror of the saints.
"EARTHLY FORMS" Earthly forms are only shadows of the Sun of Truth—a cradle for babes, but too small to hold those who have grown to spiritual manhood.
"THE BEATIFIC VISION OF ETERNAL TRUTH" The end and object of all negation is to attain to subsequent affirmation, as the negation in the creed, "There is no God," finds its complement and purpose in the affirmation "but God." Just so the purpose of negation of self is to clear the way for the apprehension of the fact that there is no existence but the One. The intoxication of Life and its pleasures and occupations veils the Truth from men's eyes, and they ought to pass on to the spiritual intoxication which makes men beside themselves and lifts them to the beatific vision of eternal Truth.
THE WINE EVERLASTING O babbler, while thy soul is drunk with mere date wine, Thy spirit hath not tasted the genuine grapes. For the token of thy having seen that divine Light Is this, to withdraw thyself from the house of pride.
BE LOST IN THE BEAUTY OF THE BELOVED When those Egyptian women sacrificed their reason, They penetrated the mansion of Joseph's love; The Cup-bearer of Life bore away their reason, They were filled with wisdom of the world without end. Joseph's beauty was only an offshoot of God's beauty: Be lost, then, in God's beauty more than those women.
"WHAT EAR HAS TOLD YOU FALSELY" What ear has told you falsely eye will tell truly. Then ear, too, will acquire the properties of an eye; Your ears, now worthless as wool, will become gems; Yea, your whole body will become a mirror, It will be as an eye of a bright gem in your bosom. First the hearing of the ear enables you to form ideas, Then these ideas guide you to the Beloved. Strive, then, to increase the number of these ideas, That they may guide you, like Majnun, to the Beloved.
"THERE IS A PLACE OF REFUGE" Yea, O sleeping heart, know the kingdom that endures not For ever and ever is only a mere dream. I marvel how long you will indulge in vain illusion, Which has seized you by the throat like a heads man. Know that even in this world there is a place of refuge; Hearken not to the unbeliever who denies it. His argument is this: he says again and again, "If there were aught beyond this life we should see it." But if the child see not the state of reason, Does the man of reason therefore forsake reason? And if the man of reason sees not the state of Love, Is the blessed moon of Love thereby eclipsed?
THE LOVER'S CRY TO THE BELOVED "My back is broken by the conflict of my thoughts; O Beloved One, come and stroke my head in mercy! The palm of Thy hand on my head gives me rest, Thy hand is a sign of Thy bounteous providence. Remove not Thy shadow from my head, I am afflicted, afflicted, afflicted! Sleep has deserted my eyes Through my longing for Thee, O Envy of cypresses! * * * * * * * *¨* * * * * * * O take my life, Thou art the Source of Life! For apart from Thee I am wearied of my life. I am a lover well versed in lovers' madness, I am weary of learning and sense."
SORROW TURNED TO JOY "He who extracts the rose from the thorn Can also turn this winter into spring. He who exalts the heads of the cypresses Is able also out of sadness to bring joy."
THE GIFTS OF THE BELOVED Where will you find one more liberal than God? He buys the worthless rubbish which is your wealth, He pays you the Light that illumines your heart. He accepts these frozen and lifeless bodies of yours, And gives you a Kingdom beyond what you dream of, He takes a few drops of your tears, And gives you the Divine Fount sweeter than sugar. He takes your sighs fraught with grief and sadness, And for each sigh gives rank in heaven as interest. In return for the sigh-wind that raised tear-clouds, God gave Abraham the title of "Father of the Faithful."
"THOU ART HIDDEN FROM US" Thou art hidden from us, though the heavens are filled With Thy Light, which is brighter than sun and moon! Thou art hidden, yet revealest our hidden secrets Thou art the Source that causes our rivers to flow. Thou art hidden in Thy essence, but seen by Thy bounties. Thou art like the water, and we like the mill-stone. Thou art like the wind, and we like the dust; The wind is unseen, but the dust is seen by all. Thou art the Spring, and we the sweet green garden; Spring is not seen, though its gifts are seen. Thou art as the Soul, we as hand and foot; Soul instructs hand and foot to hold and take. Thou art as Reason, we like the tongue; 'Tis reason that teaches the tongue to speak. Thou art as Joy, and we are laughing; The laughter is the consequence of the joy. Our every motion every moment testifies, For it proves the presence of the Everlasting God.
"EXERT YOURSELVES" "'Trust in God, yet tie the camel's leg.' Hear the adage, 'The worker is the friend of God;' Through trust in Providence neglect not to use means. Go, O Fatalists, practise trust with self-exertion, Exert yourself to attain your objects, bit by bit. In order to succeed, strive and exert yourselves; If you strive not for your objects, ye are fools."
THE WISDOM OF THE WEAK "O friends, God has given me inspiration. Oftentimes strong counsel is suggested to the weak. The wit taught by God to the bee Is withheld from the lion and the wild ass. It fills its cells with liquid sweets, For God opens the door of this knowledge to it. The skill taught by God to the silkworm Is a learning beyond the reach of the elephant. The earthly Adam was taught of God names, So that his glory reached the seventh heaven. He laid low the name and fame of the angels, Yet blind indeed are they whom God dooms to doubt!"