The Sufi Is Happy With Less (Mathnawi verses)
Ibrahim Gamard
[Re-posted from SUNLIGHT - a Rumi mailing list (subscription
information at bottom)]
With Sunlight's pleasure and gratitude come this week's verses
from Rumi's Mathnawi, selected by Abraham Sarmad Brody and
translated by Ibrahim Gamard:
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
The Sufi Is Happy With Less
Mathnawi IV: 1856-1890
The decrease of the food (allotted) by God carried out for (the
sake of) the Sufi’s soul and heart
When a sufi becomes sad and afflicted because of poverty, the
essential substance of poverty(1) becomes his milk-nurse and food.
Because Paradise has grown from disagreeable things,(2) and
(Divine) Mercy is the (allotted) portion of a helpless and
broken-down one.
(But) the Mercy of God and (His) creatures does not come to the
one who breaks the heads (of others) due to pride of higher rank.
This subject doesn’t have (any) end. And that young man(3)
became weak and powerless by the meagerness of the order carried
out for (his) bread.
(But) the sufi (is) happy when his provision is lessened(4)-- (for)
his black bead becomes a pearl(5) and he becomes the Ocean.(6)
Whoever is aware of that special allotment becomes worthy of
nearness (to God) and (to) the place of (the issuing of Divine)
Allotments.(7)
(So) when there is a decrease of that spiritual allotment, his
spirit
shakes and shudders because of its decrease,
(For) then he knows that a mistake (on his part) has occurred, since
the jasmine field of (Divine) approval has become unsettled(8)--
Just like (the mistake of) the person (who) wrote a letter(9) to the
owner of the harvest because of the reduction of the cultivated
land.(10)
His letter was brought to the chief of justice, (who) read the
letter
but did not give back a reply.
He said, “He has no pain (of loss) except for large servings of
food. Therefore, silence is the best answer to a fool.
“He has no pain of separation or (longing for) union; he is the
slave of the branch and never seeks the root.(11)
“He is a fool, and has died of egotism.(12) Because of his sorrow
for (the loss of) the branch, (he has) no rest and leisure with the
root.”
Know (that) the heavens and the earth are (like) an apple(13) which
appeared from the tree of the Power of God.
(And) you are like a worm in the middle of the apple, and unaware
of the tree and (of) a gardener.(14)
That one other worm(15) (is) also in the apple, but its spirit (is)
the
possessor of a flag [of honor] beyond.(16)
Its agitation breaks open the apple,(17) (and) the apple cannot bear
up to that damage.(18)
Its agitation tears up the veils. Its appearance is a worm, but its
(inner) reality (is) a dragon.(19)
A (spark of) fire which first leaps from the iron(20) puts
out its feet very weakly.
Its milk-nurse is cotton in the beginning, but finally it sends
blazing flames up to the sky.
Man is bound to sleeping and eating in the beginning,(21) (but) he
is eventually higher than the angels.(22)
In the protection of cotton and sulfur,(23) his flame and light
rises
above the stars.(24)
He makes the dark world luminous,(25) (and) he tears up iron
shackles(26) with a needle.(27)
Although fire is also bodily,(28) it is not (derived) from the
spirit
and is not from the spiritual (world).
The body hasn’t any portion of that honor. (And) in the presence
of the sea of the soul, the body is like a (mere) drop.
Because of the spirit, the body becomes increased of days. (And)
when the spirit departs, look: how does it become?
The limit of your body is no more than one or two measures (in
length), (but) your spirit is a galloper up to the heavens.
O generous and noble man! In the spirit’s imagination, (the
distance) to Baghdad and Samarkand (is only) half a step.
The fat of your eye(29) is (equal to) the weight of two coins, (but)
the light of its spirit(30) (reaches) to the depth of the heavens.
The light can see in a dream without (need of) these eyes.(31)
(But) without this light, the eye would be (nothing) except ruined.
The spirit is free from care about the body’s beard and
moustache.(32) But the body without the spirit is (merely) a corpse
and (something) repulsive.
(Since) this is the high honor of the animal spirit, go further
ahead(33) (and) experience the human spirit.(34)
Pass beyond the (ordinary state of) man,(35) as well as talk and
discussion-- as far as the shore of the ocean of the spirit of
Gabriel.(36)
After that, the spirit of Muhammad will bite your lips.(37) (And)
Gabriel will creep back from fear of you,
Saying, “If I come (further) toward you the length of (even) one
bow,(38) I will be burned up in that instant.”
-- 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 1930 British translation)
(c) Ibrahim Gamard (translation, footnotes, &
transliteration)
(1) poverty [faqr]: refers to spiritual poverty-- an important term in
sufism. It is related to the name for a sufi: “poor one” [faqeer], a
name translated into Persian as “darweesh,” or dervish. It refers to
an absence of pride and self-centered preoccupation, called
“self-worship” [nafs-parastî] in sufism. “What is with you will
vanish, and what is with God will endure” (Qur’an 16:97). “O man
you are poor [fuqarâ] in relation to God, and God is the Rich...”
(Qur’an 35:15) Rumi said, “That poverty is not for the sake of
(imposing) difficulties. Rather, (it is) on account of this: that
nothing
exists but God.” (Mathnawi II: 3497)
Nicholson later corrected his translation, to: “When a Súfí is
distressed by (the outward effects of spiritual) poverty, the very
essence of poverty becomes his nurse and his food” (from, “How
should a Súfí be grieved on account of poverty? The very essence of
poverty becomes his nurse and his food”). And he explained: “The
pains of self-mortification (mujáhadah) lead the mystic to
contemplation of God (mushádah).” (Commentary)
“The intended (meaning): In that state of poverty and distress of
being hungry, God Most High will cause his soul to eat spiritual
food and the provision of (spiritual) light.... It is never seen that
someone can show mercy and act generously and charitably toward a
rich and powerful person. But a helpless and broken-down man is
the object of mercy and becomes the place where generosity and
benevolence appear.” (Anqirawi, Commentary-- translated here from
the Persian trans. of the 17th century Turkish commentary)
(2) Paradise has grown from disagreeable things: Nicholson referred
to II: 1837, which he translated, “Paradise is compassed about with
the things we dislike (to do); the fires (of Hell) are compassed about
with our lusts.” He explained: “I.e. ‘in order to reach Paradise we
must pass through tribulation, and through our lusts we pass into
Hell-fire’. The text of the Hadíth is: huffati ‘l-jannatu bi-’l-makárihi
wa-huffati ‘l-níránu bi-’l-shahawáti” [= Paradise is surrounded by
(actions) disliked and Hell Fire is surrounded by strong desires].
(Nicholson, Commentary) This means that one’s reward in Paradise
is a compensation for the disagreeable experiences or tasks one has
patiently endured in a sincere effort to surrender one’s will to God’s
Will.
(3) that young man: refers to Rumi’s story (which began prior to this
section) about the slave whose attitude and service toward the king
were very lacking, so the king ordered that his food allowance be
reduced. The slave became angry and complained to the kitchen
steward, who insisted that the king gave the order for a good reason,
not out of stinginess. The slave continued to feel resentful and
insulted, so he wrote a letter of complaint to the king.
Nicholson explained this line: “The slave is a type of the foolish
muríd [= spiritual seeker, disciple] who does not know that nuqsán-i
nán [= reduction of bread] produces ziyádat-i jân.” [= increase of
spiritual life] (Commentary)
(4) the sufi (is) happy when his provision is lessened: This refers to
the spiritual pleasures and rewards which come from fasting. It also
refers to following the example of the Prophet Muhammad and his
family and companions, who often fasted or got by with very little
food during the years of struggle in a hostile environment of
polytheists-- and also seeking a similar spiritual blessings from
God for patiently enduring poverty.
In this regard: “It has been written in this manner that Mawlana
(Jalaluddin Rumi) sometimes would stick his head into the kitchen
and ask, ‘Is there anything of edible food in our kitchen today?’ If
the cook answered, ‘There are plentiful delicacies,’ he would
become sad and say, ‘The smell of the kitchen of Pharaoh and
Nimrod [= the oppressors of Moses and Abraham, respectively] is
coming from our kitchen,’ and he would return. But if the cook said,
‘There isn’t anything at all in the kitchen today,’ that venerable
(spiritual master) would act cheerfully, saying, “Praise be to God!
The smell of the kitchen of Muhammad and of his descendents is
coming today from this kitchen of ours.’ He would say these things
and act glad.” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(5) his black bead becomes a pearl: “Because (the sufis) know that a
decrease of bodily food is the cause of plentiful spiritual food. And
the connection of spiritual foods with bodily foods is the analogy of a
pearl and a glass bead.... (for) a mouthful of spiritual food is like a
fine pearl.” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(6) he becomes the Ocean: “i.e. he undergoes spiritual transformation
and attains to union with God.” (Nicholson, Commentary) “He
becomes happy and joyful and his self becomes an ocean of light.”
(Anqirawi, Commentary)
(7) the place of (the issuing of Divine) Allotments: Nicholson
translated, “he has become worthy of approach (to the Presence) and
of (Him who is) the Source of (every) allowance.” “(He becomes
worthy) of the (spiritual) food and drink which was affirmed by the
noble saying (of the Prophet): ‘I passed the night with my Lord, who
gave me food and drink.’” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(8) unsettled: Nicholson translated, “which has ruffled the
jasmine-bed of (Divine) approbation.”
(9) the person (who) wrote a letter: refers to the foolish slave who
wrote a letter complaining to the king-- “meaning a person who is the
owner of the treasuries of coins, money, and grain.” (Anqirawi,
Commentary)
(10) because of the reduction of the cultivated land: Nicholson
translated, “on account of the deficiency of his crop.”
(11) the root: Nicholson translated, “He hath no care at all for
separation (from me) or union (with me): he is confined to the branch
(the derivative); he does not seek the root (the fundamental) at all.”
“It means, ‘In the character of that ignorant one there is no pain of
distance from my presence, just as there is also no pain of love or
love of union with me.” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(12) egotism [mâ-wo manî]: literally, “(preoccupation with) we and
me.”
(13) like an apple: “It means, ‘Know that the worth and value of the
heavens and the earth in the presence of God resembles a single apple
produced from one large tree.... just as the holy Prophet, may
(God’s) peace be upon him, said, “Although the world has the same
value in the presence of God as the wing of a gnat...”’” (Anqirawi,
Commentary) Rumi refers directly to this saying of the Prophet, as
translated by Nicholson: “The whole world has (but) the value of a
gnat’s wing” (VI: 1640).
(14) unaware of the tree and (of) a gardener: “It means that it is
unaware of God Most High and of His Complete Power and it is
like that worm in the middle of the apple, which has become content
with something little.” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(15) That one other worm: “I.e. the prophet or saint.” (Nicholson,
footnote)
(16) but its spirit (is) the possessor of a flag [of honor] beyond:
Nicholson translated, “but its spirit is outside, bearing the banner
aloft.” “But the soul and heart of this (other) worm has been hidden
in the midst of the apple (and) it has a fame and banner from the
outside world. This means: Yes, a worm exists in the middle of this
apple of the world, regarding which the intent of this (metaphor) is
the prophets, peace be upon them, and the great saints.... (who) are
not content with something lowly and do not remain imprisoned by
the bonds of this world...” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(17) Its agitation breaks open the apple: “The world of phenomena is
a prison for all except the gnostic who has burst through its barriers.”
(Nicholson, Commentary)
(18) the apple cannot bear up to that damage: there is a word play
between “apple” [sêb] and “damage” [âsîb].
(19) its (inner) reality (is) a dragon: “The interpretation of the worm:
it is among these masters of (spiritual) determination [himmat],
disguised in this manner-- that they are weak, from the human point
of view. And also that... outwardly, they have a 'worm' nature
together with the rest of humanity...” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(20) the iron: which, when struck (like flint), produces a spark of fire
to ignite cotton, or other dry tinder.
(21) Man is bound to sleeping and eating in the beginning: means
during the helpless stage of infancy, as well as during an ordinary
life of bondage to bodily pleasures.
(22) he is eventually higher than the angels: refers to the doctrine of
the descent of the spirit from the heavens and its ascent back through
stages: mineral, plant, animal, human and trans-angelic.
(23) the protection of cotton and sulfur: these are materials for
starting a fire (just as sulfur is used in matches in modern times).
Nicholson explained: “i.e. the tinder (sleep and food) that keeps the
vital spark in being.” (Commentary)
(24) above the stars: literally, above Suhâ, a star in the constellation
called the Lesser Bear. The name of this star was chosen for the
rhyme. “In the protection of cotton and sulfur, the spark and light of
that Perfect Man reaches to Suhaa and the lofty Throne (of God)....
(And) the flame of (his) reason and understanding reaches into the
seventh heaven to the star of Suhaa and the lamp of his spirit and
reason reaches completion...” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(25) He makes the dark world luminous: “And he makes the dark
natured world shining with the light of (mystical) knowledge
[ma`rifat].” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(26) iron shackles: “i.e. the carnal nature.” (Nicholson,
Commentary)
(27) with a needle: “i.e. by slow and painful eradication.” Nicholson
also referred to “the saying qal`u ‘l-jibál bi-’l-ibar aysaru min qal`i
sifati ‘l-kibr, ‘it is easier to remove mountains with needles than to
eradicate self-conceit.’” (Commentary) “And he tears off the bodily
skackles-- which are connected to the foot of the spirit in the analogy
of iron shackles-- very gradually, with a needle, from the foot of the
spirit. And he releases the royal falcon from the iron-like fetters of
the body.” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(28) Although fire is also something bodily: means that there are fiery
qualities within the human body, such as passions and vitality.
Nicholson wrote, “The commentators say that átash [= fire] in this
verse refers to the lower (animal) soul as contrasted with the higher
(rúh-i insání) [= human spirit] and translate the second hemistiche
accordingly, viz.: ‘it is not derived from the spirit and the
spiritual.’
But surely the point is that Man, though in appearance associated
with the dark material world, is in reality a glorious spirit
independent of the body.” (Commentary) Nicholson therefore
translated this verse differently: “Though the fire too is connected
with the body, is it not derived from the spirit and the spiritual?”
(29) The fat of your eye: Nicholson translated, “The fat (white) of
thine eye.” There is a word play with “the depth of the heavens”
[`anân-é âsmân], which refers to what comes to the eyes from the
heavens, and the extent to which the eyes can see into the depth, or
heart, of the heavens (Gawharin’s Glossary of the Mathnawi).
(30) the light of its spirit: refers to the light believed to be inside
the
eyes, which enabled vision to be possible. “Rúh [= spirit] is said to
be a term used by Moslem oculists [= opthamologists] for the
luminosity (latáfah) residing in the pupil of the eye.” (Nicholson,
Commentary) “It means the subtle spirit located in the globe of the
pupil of the eye.” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(31) The light can see in a dream without (need of) these eyes: “It
means that the light of the spirit has no dependence on the eye and the
body.” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(32) the body’s beard and moustache: an idiom meaning the body’s
vanity about its form and adornments.
(33) go further ahead: “I.e. ‘mortify and spurn the animal soul,
which bedecks itself with worldly vanities.’” (Nicholson,
Commentary)
(34) experience the human spirit: “Go further ahead and witness the
beauty and perfection of the human spirit and examine its qualities
and characteristics.” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(35) Pass beyond the (ordinary state of) man: “i.e. pass beyond the
realm of human reason (`aql) into the domain of mystical revelation
(kashf).” (Nicholson, Commentary)
(36) as far as the shore of the ocean of the spirit of Gabriel: “Go
further ahead, (and) drink the wine of ecstasy and bliss. Be drunk
until you travel to the angelic world, where the shore of the spiritual
ocean of the Holy Spirit [= Gabriel] is.” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(37) the spirit of Muhammad will bite your lips: Nicholson translated,
“After that, the spirit of Ahmad (Mohammed) will bite thy
lip (kiss thee lovingly)...” “It means that... he will indicate to you
not
to reveal these secrets, or to keep them deep within yourself.”
(Anqirawi, Commentary)
(38) the length of one bow: “These verses allude to Qur. LIII 8-10:
‘then he approached and descended and was at a distance of two
bow-lengths, or nearer; and He made a revelation to His servant’;
and LIII 13-18: ‘and verily he saw Him another time near the
sidrah-tree that marks the limit. Nigh unto it is the Garden of Refuge.
When a covering came over the sidrah-tree, the eye turned not aside
nor did it wander. Verily he saw one of the greatest signs of His
Lord.’ Whether it was God or Gabriel or Mohammed who
‘approached and descended’ is a matter of dispute; in any case the
Qur’án refers here to two visions of the Prophet which are
traditionally associated with his mi`ráj or ascension to Heaven (cf.
also Qur. XVII 1 and LXXXI 19 sqq.). The legend relates that when
the Prophet was about to enter into the presence of God, he said to
Gabriel, who had been his guide thus far, ‘O my brother, why hast
thou fallen behind me?’ and that Gabriel replied, ‘Were I to come one
finger-tip nearer, surely I should be consumed.’” (Nicholson,
Commentary)
“But the prophets, may (God’s) peace be upon them, and the great
saints go further ahead with their sanctified souls, beyond the station
of the (angelic) spirits and minds. And they become annihilated in the
(Presence) of God and they become drowned in the Ocean of
Oneness...” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
nuqSân-é ijrây-é jân-o del-é Sûfî az Ta`âmu ‘llâh
Sûfiyê az faqr chûn dar gham shaw-ad
`ayn-é faqr-ash dâya-wo maT`am shaw-ad
z-ân-ke jannat az makârih rosta-ast
raHm qism-é `âjizê ishkasta-ast
ân-ke sar-hâ be-sh’kan-ad ô az `ulû
raHm-é Haqq-o khalq n-ây-ad sôy-é ô
în sokhon âkhir na-dâr-ad w-ân jawân
az kamî-yé ijrây-é nân shod nâ-towân
shâd ân Sûfî ke rizq-ash kam shaw-ad
ân shaba-sh dur gard-ad-o ô yam shaw-ad
z-ân jirây-é khâS har k-âgâh shod
ô sazây-é qurb-o ijrî-gâh shod
z-ân jirây-é rûH chûn nuqSân shaw-ad
jân-ash az nuqSân-é ân larzân shaw-ad
pas be-dân-ad ke khaTâyê rafta-ast
ke saman-zâr-é riZâ âshofta-ast
ham-chon-ân-ke ân shakhS az nuqSân-é kesht
ruq`a sôy-é SâHib-é kherman nebesht
ruq`a’ash bord-and pêsh-é mîr-é dâd
khwând ô ruq`a jawâbê wâ na-dâd
goft ô-râ nêst illâ dard-é lôt
pas jawâb-é aHmaq awlîtar sukût
nêst-ash dard-é firâq-o waSl hêch
band-é far`-ast ô, na-jôy-ad aSl hêch
aHmaq-ast-o morda-yé mâ-wo manî
k-az gham-é far`-ash farâgh-é aSl nî
âsmân-hâ-wo zamîn yak sêb dân
k-az derakht-é qudrat-é Haq shod `ayân
tô chô kermê dar meyân-é sêb dar
w-az derakht-o bâgh-bânê bê-khabar
ân yakê kermê degar dar sêb ham
lêk jân-ash az berûn SâhHib-`alam
jonbesh-é ô wâ shekâf-ad sêb-râ
bar na-tâb-ad sêb ân âsêb-râ
bar darîda jonbesh-é ô parda-hâ
Sûrat-ash kerm-ast-o ma`nî azhdahâ
âteshê k-awwal ze-âhan mê-jahad
ô qadam bas sost bêrûn mê-nah-ad
dâya-ash panba-st awwal lêk akhîr
mê-rasân-ad shu`la-hâ ô tâ aSîr
mard awwal basta-yé khwâb-o khwar-ast
âkhiru ‘l-amr az malâyik bartar-ast
dar panâh-é panba-wo kibrît-hâ
shu`la-wo nûr-ash bar ây-ad bar suhâ
`âlam-é târîk rôshan mê-kon-ad
konda-é âhan ba-sôzan mê-kan-ad
gar-che âtesh nêz ham jismânî-ast
na ze-rûh-ast-o na az rûhânî-ast
jism-râ na-b’w-ad az ân `iz bahra’yé
jism pêsh-é baHr-é jân chûn qaTra’yê
jism az jân rôz-afzûn mê-shaw-ad
chûn raw-ad jân, jism, bîn chûn mê-shaw-ad?
Hadd-é jism-at yak dô gaz khwad bêsh nêst
jân-é tô tâ âsmân jawlân-konê-st
tâ ba-baghdâd-o samarqand ay homâm
rûH-râ andar taSawwir nêm-é gâm
dô deram sang-ast pîh-é chashm-etân
nûr-é rûH-ash tâ `anân-é âsmân
nûr bê-în chashm mê-bîn-ad ba-khwâb
chashm bê-în nûr che b’wâd joz kharâb
jân ze-rêsh-o sablat-é tan fârigh-ast
lêk tan bê-jân bow-ad mordâr-o past
bârnâma-yé rûH-é Haywânî-st în
pêshtar raw, rûh-é insânî be-bîn
be-g’Zar az insân ham-o az qâl-o qîl
tâ lab-é daryây-é jân-é jibra’îl
ba`d az ân-at jân-é aHmad lab gaz-ad
jibra’îl az bîm-é tô wâ-pas khaz-ad
gôy-ad ar ây-am ba-qadr-é yak kamân
man ba-sôy-é tô be-sôz-am dar zamân
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R.A.
Ibrahim Gamard schreef:
> [Re-posted from SUNLIGHT - a Rumi mailing list (subscription
> information at bottom)]
>
> With Sunlight's pleasure and gratitude come this week's verses
> from Rumi's Mathnawi, selected by Abraham Sarmad Brody and
> translated by Ibrahim Gamard:
Can the translations of the Masnawi, as they appear in
"alt.fan.jalaludin_rumi",
freely be used for translation in another language and used for a magazine,
whenever the poem seems fit to stress a certain point?
wkr