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Sunday, October 24, 2010

The Chains Of Craziness - Rumi




1372 gar tô bâsh-î râst w-ar bâsh-î tô kazh
pêsh-tar mê-ghazh ba-dô, wâ-pas ma-ghazh

pêsh-é shâh-ân gar khaTar bâsh-ad ba-jân
lêk na-sh'kêb-and az-ô bâ-himmat-ân

shâh chûn shîrîn-tar az shakkar bow-ad
jân ba-shîrînî raw-ad khwash-tar bow-ad

1375 ay malâmat-gar salâmat mar to-râ
ay salâmat-jô tow-î wâhî 'l-`urà

jân-é man kûra-st bâ âtesh khwash-ast
kûra-râ în bas ke khâna-yé âtash-ast

ham-chô kûra `ishq-râ sôzîdanê-st
har ke ô z-în kûr bâsh-ad kûra nêst

barg-é bê-bargî to-râ chûn barg shod
jân-é bâqî yâft-î-wo marg shod

chûn to-râ gham shâdî-afzûdan gereft
rawZa-yé jân-at gol-o sûsan gereft

1380 ân-che khawf-é dîgar-ân, ân amn-é to-st
baT qawî az baHr-o morgh-é khana sost

bâz dêwâna shod-am man ay Tabîb
bâz sawdâyî shod-am man ay Habîb

Halqa-hây-é silsila-yé tô Zû funûn
har yakê Halqa deh-ad dîgar junûn

dâd-é har Halqa funûnê dîgar-ast
pas ma-râ har dam junûnê dîgar-ast

pas funûn bâsh-ad junûn, în shod maSal
khâSa dar zanjîr-é în mîr-é ajal

1385 ân-chon-ân dêwânagî be-g'sest band
ke hama dêwân-agân pand-am deh-and

(mathnawi meter: XoXX XoXX XoX)


Translation:

1372 (Regardless of) whether you are straight or crooked, keep
crawling toward Him. Don't crawl backwards.

Although there may be danger to (your) life in the presence of
kings, nevertheless, those with (strong) aspiration cannot tolerate
(being distant) from Him.

Since the King is more sweet than sugar, it is more delightful that
(your) life should go to that sweetness.

1375 O blamer, may you have safety! (And) O seeker of safety,
you have weak handles.

My soul is a furnace (and) is happy with the fire. For the furnace, it
(is) sufficient that it is the house for the fire.

In regard to love, there is something burning -- just like the
furnace. Whoever is blind to this is not a "furnace."

When your provision becomes a provision without (need) of
(worldly) provision, you will find everlasting life, and death
will go (away).

(And) when your longing sorrow obtains increasing joy, the
garden of your soul will obtain roses and lilies.

1380 That which is frightening to others is your safety. Because
of the river, the duck (is) strong, but the domestic hen (is) weak
(and helpless).

O doctor! I've become crazy again. O beloved! I've become
melancholy (from yearning).

The rings of Your chain possess (various) manners. Every
single ring gives a different (kind of) craziness.

The gift of every ring is a different way (of acting) -- so I
have a different (kind of) craziness every moment.

Therefore, "craziness is of (various) modes" has become a
proverb -- especially in (regard to) the chains of this Glorious
Emperor.

1385 A craziness such as this has broken (my) shackles, so that
all the crazy people will offer me advice.



--From "The Mathnawî-yé Ma`nawî" [Rhymed Couplets of
Deep Spiritual Meaning] of Jalaluddin Rumi.
Translated from the Persian by Ibrahim Gamard (with
gratitude for R. A. Nicholson's 1926 British translation)
© Ibrahim Gamard

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