One Soul, You and I
Ghazal 22141
23477 That moment (is) joyous and blessed when we are sitting
(together) in the veranda, you and I; with two forms and faces,
(yet) with one soul, you and I.
The gifts of the orchard and the speech of the birds will offer (us)
the Water of (Eternal) Life2 (at) the moment when we come into
the garden, you and I.
The stars of the (night) sky will come as our observers, (and) we
will reveal the moon itself3 to them, you and I.
23480 You and I, devoid of "you" and "I" due to extreme joy and
delight,4 will be united (in friendship); (we will be) happy and
without concern about absurd stories and distracting nonsense,5
you and I.
All the parrots of the sky will be (happily) chewing sugar6 in a
place where we will laugh in such a way, you and I.
This is (even) more astonishing: that you and I (are) in one corner
here, (yet) in this moment we are both in `Irâq and Khorâsân,7 you
and I.
23483 (We have) one form on this earth and another form on that
(world) in everlasting Paradise and the (Home) Land of Sugar,8
You and I.
--From The Dîwân-é Kabîr (also known as "Kulliyat-é Shams" and
"Dîwân-é Shams-é Tabrîz") of Jalaluddin Rumi.
Translated from the Persian by Ibrahim Gamard, 7/12/03
© Ibrahim Gamard (translation, footnotes, & transliteration)
Notes on the text, with line number:
1Ghazal 2214: Compare to: the translation by R. A. Nicholson,
"Selected Poems from the Dîvâni Shamsi Tabrîz," no. 38, p. 153,
1898 (based on an older, inferior text); the translation by A. J.
Arberry, "Mystical Poems of Rumi: Second Selection, " no. 280, p.
64, 1979 (based on the oldest manuscripts); the translation by
Annemarie Schimmel, "Look! This is Love - Poems of Rumi,"
1991; the version by Jonathan Star (based a translation by Shahram
Shiva), "A Garden Beyond Paradise: The Mystical Poetry of
Rumi," p. 141, 1992.
2(23478) the Water of (Eternal) Life: a legendary stream which
bestows immortality upon those who drink from it. A frequent
image in Rumi's poetry, symbolizing eternal spiritual joy.
3(23479) the moon itself: means a beautiful radiance will be shown
to the stars about which they have never known, similar to the
luminous beauty of the full moon (but a spiritual illumination).
4(23480) devoid of "you" and "I" due to extreme joy and delight:
means the state of ecstatic consciousness that occurs during
moments when the personal and separate self or ego passes away
in "annihilation" [fanâ].
5(23480) absurd stories and distracting nonsense: may refer to the
gossip circulated by disciples and the people in the town of Konya
where Rumi lived--many of whom were jealous because of Rumi's
devotion toward his beloved spiritual master, Shams-i Tabrizi.
6(23481) chewing sugar: parrots were rewarded with sugar when
teaching them to speak. "Sugar-chewing parrots" is a frequent
image in Rumi's poetry, symbolizing the bliss of the souls blessed
by God.
7(23482) `Irâq and Khorâsân: the first country is in the Near East,
the second in Central Asia (eastern Iran extending into
Afghanistan)
8(23483) the (Home) Land of Sugar: means eternal delight and
enjoyment in Paradise. The meaning here is that Rumi's soul is
united with Shams' soul in a state of Heavenly bliss, while at the
same time their physical bodies are in different locations.
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23477 khonok ân dam ke neshîn-êm dar aywân man-o tô
ba-dô naqsh-o ba-dô Sûrat ba-yakî jân man-o tô
dâd-é bâgh-o dam-é morgh-ân be-deh-ad âb-é Hayât
ân zamânê ke dar-ây-êm ba-bostân man-o tô
akhtar-ân-é falak ây-and ba-naZZâra-ye mâ
mah-é khwad-râ be-nomây-êm ba-d-êshân man-o tô
23480 man-o tô bê-man-o tô jam` shaw-êm az sar-é Zawq
khwash-o fâregh ze khurâfât-é parêshân man-o tô
tôTiy-ân-é falakê jumla shakar-khwâr shaw-and
dar maqâmê ke be-khand-êm ba-d-ân-sân man-o tô
în `ajab-tar ke man-o tô ba-yakê konj în-jâ
ham dar-în dam ba-`irâq-êm-o khorâsân man-o tô
23483 yakê naqsh bar-în khâk-o bar-ân naqsh-é degar
dar behesht-é abadî-wo shakar-estân man-o tô
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Meter: ooXX ooXX ooXX ooX
(Ramal makhbûn maqsûr)
