The Evils of Procrastination (part two)

[Ibrahim Gamard]

[Re-posted from SUNLIGHT - a Rumi mailing list
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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 Evils of Procrastination (part two)

Mathnawi II: 1244-1279

Either pick up the axe(1) and strike manfully(2)--and
tear up this
gate of Khaybar, like Ali--(3)
Or make these thorns united with the rosebush,(4) (and)
make the
light of the friend (of God)(5) united with the fire (of
your passions).
So that his (spiritual) light may kill your fire, (and
so that) union
with him(6) may make your thorns a rose garden.
You are similar to Hell, (and) he is a true believer.(7)
(But) the
smothering of the fire (of Hell) by the true believer is
possible.
(Because) the Prophet(8) said, regarding the speech of
Hell, that it
becomes a groaning supplicant toward the true believer
because of
fear.
(And) it says to him, “Pass on from me quickly, O king.
Hurry!
Since your light has carried off the burning of my fire.”(9)

Therefore, the destruction of the fire (of Hell) is
(caused by) the
light of the true believer. Since the repelling of an
opposite is not
possible without an opposite.
The fire (of Hell) will be the opponent of the light
(on) the Day of
Justice,(10) because that (fire) was caused by (Divine)
wrath,(11)
(and) this (light) by (Divine) grace.
If you want the removal of the fire’s evil, send the
water of
(Divine) Mercy(12) into action against the heart of the
fire.
The (gushing) fountain of that water of (Divine) mercy
is the true
believer. The Water of Life(13) is the pure spirit of the
kindly doer of
good.(14)
Therefore, your ego is running away from him(15) because
you are
(the nature of) fire (and) he (is) watery-natured.(16)
Fire runs away from water because its flames are
destroyed by
water.
Your senses and thoughts are entirely (made) of
fire,(17) (but) the
senses of the (spiritual) master,(18) and his thoughts, are
(made) of
beautiful light.
If the water of his light drips onto the fire, (the
sound of) “chak
chak” rises up from the fire and it jumps up.(19)
When it makes the “chak chak” (noise), tell it, “(May
you suffer)
pain and death!”-- so that this (fiery) Hell of your ego(20)
may
become cold,(21)
So that it won’t burn up your rose garden, (and) so that
it won’t
burn up your justice and good actions.(22)
After that, anything which you plant(23) will deliver
(flowers); it
will present tulips, narcissus, and thyme.
Once again we are traveling wide of the straight
road.(24) Turn
back, O master! Where is our way?
We were (involved) in explaining, O envious man,(25)
that your
donkey is lame and the resting place (is) distant--(26) (so
move)
quickly!
The year has become late, (it’s) not planting time, (and
there’s)
nothing (in your account) except ugly actions and disgrace.
Worm have fallen into the tree roots of the body. They
need to be
eradicated and placed in the fire.(27)
Move on and hurry, O traveler! It’s gotten late. The sun
of life has
gone (down) toward the well.(28)
(For) these two short days when your strength (still)
exists, (act)
quickly! Shed (your) old age by way of (youthful)
generosity.(29)
Gamble away(30) the (small) amount of seeds which remain
to
you, so that long life may grow from these few moments.
As long as this jewelled lamp(31) (of yours) is not
extinguished,
be quick! Adjust its wick and (add) oil as soon as
possible!(32)
Hurry! Don’t say, “Tomorrow”-- since (too many)
tomorrows
have elapsed. Don’t let the planting days pass away
completely!
Hear my advice, that the body is a strong shackle.(33)
Throw out
the old, if you have the wish for what is fresh and new.(34)

Shut (your) lips(35) and open up (your) hand full of
gold. Quit the
body’s stinginess(36) and bring generosity forward.
(For) generosity is the abandonment of sensual cravings
and
pleasures. Whoever has become sunk in sensual cravings(37)
doesn’t
rise up.
This generosity is a branch from the cypress tree of
Paradise.(38)
(What) sorrow for him who lets a branch such as this fall
from (his)
hand!(39)
The abandonment of sensual cravings is “the most
trustworthy
handhold.”(40) (And) this branch draws the soul up to the
heavens.
(Then act) so that the branch of generosity may carry
you aloft, O
man of good religion, drawing (you) toward its origin.
You are (like) beautiful Joseph(41) and this world (is)
like the
well.(42) And this rope (of escape) is patience with God’s
commands.(43)
O Joseph! The rope has come,(44) (so) grab (it with) two
hands.
Don’t be neglectful of the rope, (since) it’s become late.
(All) praise is to God that this rope has been lowered
and dangled,
(and that Divine) Grace and Mercy have been mixed
together,(45)
So that you may see the new and fresh spiritual
world--(46) a
world very evident, yet not visible.(47)

-- 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)
(c) Ibrahim Gamard (translation, footnotes, &
transliteration)

(1) Either pick up the ax: this is a warning not to
procrastinate, as
did the man (in this continuing story) who planted a
thornbush in the
middle of the road (which tore the clothes and feet of
passers-by), and
who delayed obeying the district governor’s order to uproot
it.
(2) and strike manfully: “I.e. fight manfully in the
jihádu ‘l-akbar”
[= the greater combat]. (Nicholson, Commentary) This is the
struggle
against the ego. “And those who strive (jâhadű) for Our
sake, surely
We will guide them to Our paths” (Qur’an 29:69). Once, when
the
Prophet returned from a military expedition, he said, “We
have
returned from the Lesser Combat [al-jihâd al-aSghar =
physical battle]
to the Greater Combat [al-jihâd al-akbar].” He defined the
latter as the
“struggle [jihâd] against the ego [nafs].” He also said,
“The warrior
[mujâhid] is the one who struggles against his ego for the
sake of
God.” A common mistranslation of the word “jihad” is “Holy
War,”
which is a Christian term that does not coincide with the
Islamic
meaning of the term. In sum, the word “jihad” means much
more than
physical combat in defense of Religion, since there are many
ways to
struggle and strive in the cause of God. The sufis use the
term
“mujâhada” to mean spiritual struggle on the path toward
God, of
which an important aspect is the combat against the ego.
“It means, you must seize the ax of strict
self-discipline [riyâZat]
and (spiritual) combat [mujâhadat] and strike at your
blameworthy
qualities, which resemble a thornbush.” (Anqirawi,
Commentary--
translated here from the Persian trans. of the 17th century
Turkish
commentary)
(3) like Ali: the cousin, son-in-law, and fourth
successor of the
Prophet Muhammad. He was famous for his heroism as a
warrior.
“At the siege of Khaybar, a Jewish settlement which was
attacked by
the Moslems in A.H. 7/A.D 628, `Alí pulled down a fortress
gate and
used it as a shield.” (Nicholson, Commentary) The Jewish
tribes in
the Medina area of Arabia (who had long maintained a sense
of
superiority among the surrounding illiterate pagan Arabs,
due to their
knowledge of the ancient scriptures and traditions of
Judaism)
unfortunately allied themselves with the neighboring
polytheist tribes
against the small group of (fellow monotheist) Muslims in
Medina--
who found out about this secret alliance and felt they had
no choice
but to expel the Jews from the Medina area (most of whom
moved to
Iraq).
(4) Or make these thorns united with the rosebush: means,
either
eradicate the fire of your ego and its cravings through your
own
efforts-- if you can, or seek help by associating with a
spiritual guide.
“The ‘rosebush’ signifies the pure nature of the spiritual
guide
(murshid), which assimilates to itself and endows with its
own
goodness the evil dispositions that are ‘grafted’ on it.”
(Nicholson,
Commentary)
(5) the friend [yâr] (of God): means a spiritual master,
or sufi
guide, as well as one of the “saints,” or “near ones”
[awliyâ], of God.
(6) union with him: means close association with a
saintly spiritual
guide. “Annihilation in the spiritual master” [fanâ fi
‘sh-shaykh] on
the sufi path precedes “annihilation in God” [fanâ fi
‘llâh]. “Union:
has the meaning here of being a follower” [= of the sufi
guide]....
“The intended meaning: constantly present the (spiritual)
qualities and
rays of light of the spiritual guide [murshid] to your
being. And
regarding qualities which are offensive and lead astray,
make them
distant from yourself and erased.” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(7) a true believer [mű’min]: “the mu’min in this passage
represents
the Perfect Man.” [= al-insânu ‘l-kâmil, the saint who
reflects all the
Names of God, the goal of creation-- a teaching of the Ibnu
`Arabi
school of sufism] (Nicholson, Commentary) “The true believer
is the
spiritual guide [murshid].” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(8) the Prophet [muSTaf`a]: literally, “the Chosen One,”
a title used
exclusively to mean the Prophet Muhammad.
(9) your light has carried off the burning of my fire:
“Cf. the
Traditions [= sayings of the Prophet] that on the Day of
Resurrection
Hell will say to the Faithful, ‘Cross (the bridge Sirát), O
true believer,
for thy light hath put out my flames (fa-qad atfa’a núruka
lahabí)’; and
that when the Faithful enter Paradise they will say to God,
‘Didst not
Thou promise us that we should come to Hell-fire (on our
way)’
whereupon God will answer, ‘Yes; but it was extinguished
when ye
passed by.’” (Nicholson, Commentary)
(10) The Day of Justice: another name for the Day of
Judgment.
(11) (Divine) wrath [qahr]: also means severity,
punishment,
vengeance, subduing. This word is related to one of the
traditional
Ninety-Nine Names of God: the Dominant, the Subduer
[al-Qahhâr--
Qur’an 38:65-66; 13:16; 14:48; 39:4; 40:16).
(12) (Divine) Mercy [raHmat]: this word is related to the
Divine
Names, the Merciful [ar-raHmân] and the Compassionate
[ar-raHîm].
The Mercy of God is a central theme of the Islamic
revelation,
pervading the Qur’an-- as well as the Divine sayings, such
as: “Truly,
My Mercy prevails over My Wrath;’ “My Mercy Precedes My
Wrath”
(sayings referred to in Mathnawi III: 4166-68).
(13) the Water of Life: the fountain of eternal youth, a
fabled spring
of water said to confer immortality to the one who drinks
from it.
According to popular Islamic legend, the Water of Life was
discovered by the Prophet Khizr in the Land of Darkness, who
drank
it and became immortal. It is a frequent metaphor in Rumi’s
poetry.
(14) the kindly doer of good: “The meaning of the
good-doer
[muHsin] is that person who worships God Most High in the
path of
contemplation [Tarîqu ‘l-mushâhidah]-- according to the
Tradition (of
the Prophet): ‘Sincere goodness [al-iHsân] is to worship God
as if
you see Him-- for if you don’t see Him, He certainly sees
you.’”
(Anqirawi, Commentary)
(15) Therefore, your ego is running away from him:
Nicholson later
changed his translation, based on the earliest manuscript of
the
Mathnawi, to “Your fleshly soul is fleeing mightily from
him” (from,
“Hence your fleshly soul is fleeing from him”). Here, he
read the first
word in the verse as “bas” (“mightily”) instead of “pas”
(Hence,
Therefore). However, the Iranian editor, Tawfiq Subhani,
printed it
as “pas” in his edition of the earliest manuscript of the
Mathnawi
(followed here).
(16) he (is) watery-natured [ô âb-khô]: Nicholson
translated, “he
(is) the water of the stream,” following his text [ô âb-é
jô]. Since he
did not later list that the earliest manuscript of the
Mathnawi contained
a different word in this verse, it was either an oversight
on his part, or
perhaps an error in Tawfiq Subhani’s edition (followed here,
and
which has a “sukűn” added between “âb” and “khô”). “But he,
by
whom is intended the shaykh [= spiritual master] who is
overflowing
with (spiritual) abundance and virtue, is the water of the
stream.”
(Anqirawi, Commentary)
(17) entirely (made) of fire: “It means arising from the
Hellish
quality of your ego.” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(18) the (spiritual) master [shaykh]: literally, “elder.”
Nicholson
translated, “Shaykh (spiritual guide).” Means, here, a sufi
master and
guide.
(19) it jumps up: Nicholson translated, “it leaps up (in
fury).” “It
means that if the inner light of the spiritual master, which
resembles
water, splashes upon your fiery ego, the fire of your ego
will become
disturbed by that and will become agitated and yelling.”
(Anqirawi,
Commentary)
(20) ego [nafs]: Nicholson translated, “fleshly soul.”
Means the
self, and in sufism means the base and sensual bodily self,
or ego
driven by cravings for worldly pleasures and superiority.
Rumi said,
“This ego [nafs] is Hell, and Hell is a dragon which does
not become
less (fiery) by oceans (of water).” (Mathnawi I: 1375)
(21) may become cold: “It means (so) that the fire of
sensual
cravings and anger may be obliterated from your ego.”
(Anqirawi,
Commentary)
(22) good actions: this line has been added, facing the
text in the
margin, to the earliest manuscript of the Mathnawi.
Nicholson wrote:
“An interpolated verse; it is omitted in the four oldest
MSS.” “So
that... the orchard of the heart and the garden of religion
and (true)
belief may not become burned up and destroyed.” (Anqirawi,
Commentary)
(23) anything which you plant: “... anything which you
plant in the
earth of (your) body.... Here, the intended meaning (of the
flowers)
is the lights of (Divine) Unity [tawHîd], the secrets of the
praise (of
God) [tasbîH], and the spiritual states [Halât-é rűHânî].”
(Anqirawi,
Commentary)
(24) we are traveling wide of the straight road: “I.e.
‘we have been
digressing: let us resume the argument’.” (Nicholson,
Commentary)
“The sense is (the Arabic saying), ‘Speech attracts (more)
speech.’”
(Anqirawi, Commentary)
(25) envious man: “The epithet hasúd is commonly applied
in the
Mathnawí to those who regard the saints with hostility and
disbelief.”
(Nicholson, Commentary)
(26) your donkey is lame and the resting place (is)
distant: refers to
an earlier verse, which Nicholson translated: “The day late,
the ass
lame, and the way long...” (II: 1225) “(It means): O envious
one, for
whom the donkey of your ego is lame... Therefore, don’t
delay....
It’s been said (in Arabic), ‘The procrastinator was
destroyed.’”
(Anqirawi, Commentary)
(27) eradicated and placed in the fire: Nicholson
translated, “dug up
and put in the fire.” “The nafs [= ego; see note 14 above]
must be
mortified and purged of corruption.” (Nicholson, Commentary)
“It
means that the tree of the body must be put on the fire of
austerity and
strict discipline [riyâZat], because the worms of corrupt
thoughts
within it should be burned up, erased, and obliterated.”
(Anqirawi,
Commentary)
(28) toward the well: Nicholson translated, “toward the
pit (is about
to set).” A poetic image of the near-setting of the sun
below the
horizon. “(It means): O traveler, or O (spiritual seeker)
[sâlik], be
aware!... for the sun of life... is close to setting.”
(Anqirawi,
Commentary)
(29) Shed (your) old age by way of (youthful) generosity:

Nicholson later corrected his translation to, “(be) quick,
devote the
old man (your old age) generously (to serving God)” (from,
“flap
your wings generously”). Nicholson later wrote, “Most edd.
and the
best MSS. read pír-afshání bi-kun, which the commentators
explain
by ‘devote your old age (to serving God).’ But can these
words bear
the sense of hangám-i pírí kárí qawí bi-kun” [= (in) the
time of
elderliness, make a strong effort]?.... Translate,
therefore: ‘(be)
quick, make a last effort with all your might.’”
(Commentary)
However, Steingass’ “Persian-English Dictionary” (1892,
which
Nicholson appears to have overlooked) defines “pîr-afshânî
as “The
acting in a youthful manner in old age.” “It means: In the
path of
God, make old age (a time of) offering and generosity. And
in this
life of one or two days, be occupied with worship and
service (to
God), for everlasting life may (then) come to (your) hand.”
(Anqirawi, Commentary)
(30) Gamble away [be-bâz]: Nicholson translated,
“Devote...” --
another meaning of the verb.
(31) this jewelled lamp: “i.e. the lamp of life, precious
to those who
do not neglect to trim it with the wick and oil of
righteousness.”
(Nicholson, Commentary)
(32) Adjust its wick and (add) oil as soon as possible:
“It means:
Gain inward strength with obedience and worship (toward
God). And
make the lamp of your spirit illuminated.” (Anqirawi,
Commentary)
(33) the body is a strong shackle: Nicholson translated,
“a strong
bond.” “In the path of God, there is no stronger veil and
obstacle than
the body.” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(34) if you have the wish for what is fresh and new: “It
means: If
you have the desire to find spiritual enjoyment and real
being
[wujűd-é Haqqânî], throw away and expel from your heart
those
chains which your old body is demanding (that you keep).”
(Anqirawi, Commentary)
(35) Shut (your) lips: “Just as (the Prophet) said, may
the peace of
God be upon him: ‘There is blessing for the one who occupied

himself with his own faults apart from (other) people’s
faults, and
restrained (himself) from excess in his speech and from
excess in
spending his property.’” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(36) the body’s stinginess: means the strong tendency of
the ego
(identified with the body’s base desires) to be withholding
and
selfish.
(37) sunk in sensual cravings: “Anyone who has become
drowned
in sensual cravings-- meaning, who has gone down into the
whirlpool
of sensual desires-- won’t rise up again: (meaning) he won’t
be freed
from the chains of sensual cravings.” (Anqirawi, Commentary)

(38) This generosity is a branch from the cypress tree of
Paradise:
“Cf. the Hadíth that generosity (sakhá) is a tree of
paradise with
branches drooping to the earth, and that any one who grasps
a branch
thereof is drawn into Paradise.” (Nicholson, Commentary)
(39) who lets a branch such as this fall from (his) hand:
“They will
be deprived of everlasting good fortune, and in the end will
be
disappointed and losers.” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(40) the most trustworthy handhold: “Qur. II 257: ‘whoso
denieth
Tághút and believeth in Allah, he surely hath grasped the
firmest
handle’; and XXXI 21: ‘whoso giveth himself up to Allah in
doing
good, he surely hath grasped the firmest handle.’ Súfís
identify
Tághút (idols or the Devil) with the nafs [= ego] (cf. I 769
sqq., III
4053 sqq.).” (Nicholson, Commentary) “The intended meaning
of
‘the most trustworthy handhold’ is metaphorical.... some say
that the
meaning.... is the Sacred Law [sharî`at], some (that it is)
religious
faith [îmân], and some say the Qur’an. And (for) another
group, (it
is) the grace and guidance of the Merciful (God). And others
say (it
is) the love and attraction of the Creator of (physical)
existence and
location. But our holy master [HaZrat-é Mawlânâ = Jalaluddin
Rumi]
said: ‘The most trustworthy handhold is the abandonment of
(worldly) desire.’” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
(41) beautiful Joseph: In the Qur’an, the Prophet Joseph
is
described as so good-looking that the women friends of his
Egyptian
master’s wife cut their hands (instead of the melons they
were cutting
with knives) in awe and said, “God protect us! This is not a
man.
This is none but a noble angel.” (Qur’an 12: 31)
(42) like the well: refers to the story of Joseph, whose
jealous
brothers decided not to kill him but to throw him down a
well. A
caravan stopped by the well and lowered a bucket, discovered

Joseph, rescued him, and sold him in Egypt (Qur’an 12:
10-20).
(43) patience with God’s commands: Nicholson translated,
“patience with (submission to) the command of God.”
(44) The rope has come: “And hold firmly to the Rope of
God...”
(Qur’an 3:303) “Don’t be neglectful of holding firmly to the

command of God, since the time for doing (so) has become
short.”
(Anqirawi,
Commentary)
(45) mixed together: means in the two strands of the
rope.
(46) the new and fresh spiritual world: Nicholson
translated, “the
world of the new spirit...” and he explained: “either ‘the
world of the
new (regenerated) spirit’ or ‘the new (ever fresh and
incorruptible)
spiritual world’. I think the latter interpretation is
preferable.”
(Commentary)
(47) a world very evident, yet not visible: “It means a
world which
is hidden and not visible according to the apparent
(vision), and (yet)
is very evident and clear according to the inner (vision).
Contemplate,
and arrive to that world.” (Anqirawi, Commentary)
Rumi clarifies this theme in the next lines (as
translated by
Nicholson): “This (phenomenal) world of non-existence has
become
like (real) existence, while that world of (real) existence
has become
very hidden. The dust is on the wind: it is playing, it is
making a false
show and forming a veil. This, which is busy (in appearance)
is
(really) idle and (superficial, like) a husk; and that which
is hidden is
its core and origin. The dust is as a tool in the hand of
the wind; deem
the wind high and of high descent. The gaze of the eye of
dust falls
on the dust; an eye that sees the wind is of another sort.”
(II:
1280-1284)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

yâ tabar bar gîr-o mard-âna be-zan
tô `alî-wâr în dar-é khaybar be-kan

yâ ba-gol-bon waSl kon în khâr-râ
waSl kon bâ nâr nűr-é yâr-râ

tâ ke nűr-é ô kosh-ad nâr-é to-râ
waSl-é ô golshan kon-ad khâr-é to-râ

tô miSâl-é dűzakh-î ô mű’min-ast
koshtan-é âtesh ba-mű’min mumkin-ast

muSTafŕ farműd az goft-é jaHîm
k-ô ba-mű’min lâba-gar gard-ad ze-bîm

gôy-ad-ash be-gZar ze-man ay shâh zűd
hîn ke nűr-at sôz-é nâr-am-râ robűd

pas halâk-é nâr nűr-é mű’min-ast
z-ân-ke bę-Zid daf`-é Zid lâ-yumkin-ast

nâr Zidd-é nűr bâsh-ad rôz-é `adl
k-ân ze-qahr angękhta shod în ze-faZl

gar hamę khwâh-î tô daf`-é sharr-é nâr
âb-é raHmat bar del-é âtesh gomâr

chashma-yé ân âb-é raHmat mű’min-ast
âb-é Haywân rűH-é pâk-é muHsin-ast

pas goręzân-ast nafs-é tô az-ô
z-ân-ke tô az âtesh-î ô âb-khô

z-âb âtesh z-ân goręzân mę-shaw-ad
k-âtesh-ash az âb węrân mę-shaw-ad

Hiss-o fikr-é tô hama az âtash-ast
Hiss-é shaykh-o fikr-é ô nűr-ę khwash-ast

âb-é nűr-é ô chô bar âtesh chak-ad
chak-chak az âtesh bar ây-ad, bar jah-ad

chűn kon-ad chak-chak tô gôy-ash marg-o dard
tâ shaw-ad în dôzakh-é nafs-é tô sard

tâ na-sôz-ad ô gol-estân-é to-râ
tâ na-sôz-ad `adl-o iHsân-é to-râ

ba`d az ân chęzę ke kâr-î bar deh-ad
lâla-wo nasrîn-o sîsanbar deh-ad

bâz pahnâ mę-raw-ęm az râh-é râst
bâz gard ay khwâja râh-é mâ ko-jâ-st?

andar ân taqrîr bűd-ęm ay Hasűd
ke khar-at lang-ast-o manzil dűr zűd

sâl bę-gah gasht, waqt-é kesht ney
joz seyah-rôyî-wo fa`l-é zesht ney

kerm dar bîkh-é derakht-é tan fotâd
bây-ad-ash bar kan-ad-o dar âtesh nehâd

hîn-o hîn ay râh-raw bę-gâh shod
âftâb-é `umr sôy-é châh shod

în dô rôz-ak-râ ke zűr-at hast zűd
pîr-afshânî be-kon az râh-é jűd

în qadar tokhmę ke mând-ast-at be-bâz
tâ be-rôy-ad z-în dô dam `umr-é darâz

tâ na-mord-ast în cherâgh-é bâ-gawhar
hîn fatîl-ash sâz-o rawghan zűd-tar

hîn ma-gô fardâ ke fardâ-hâ goZasht
tâ ba-kullî na-g’Zar-ad ayyâm-é kasht

pand-é man be-sh’naw ke tan band-é qawî-st
kohna bęrűn kon gar-at mayl-é nawî-st

lab be-band-o kaff-é por zar bar goshâ
bukhl-é tan be-g’Zâr-o pęsh âwar sakhâ

tark-é shahwat-hâ-wo laZZat-hâ sakhâ-st
har ke dar shahwat ferô shod bar na-khâst

în sakhâ shâkhę-st az sarw-é behesht
wây-é ô k-az kaf chon-în shâkhę be-hesht

`urwatu ‘l-wuSqâ-st în tark-é hawâ
bar kash-ad în shâkh jân-râ bar sama

tâ bar-ad shâkh-é sakhâ ay khwob-kęsh
mar to-râ bâlâ kashân tâ aSl-é khwęsh

yűsuf-é Husn-î-wo în `âlam chô châh
w-în rasan Sabr-ast bar amr-é alâh

yűsuf-â âmad rasan, dar zan dô dast
az rasan ghâfil ma-shaw bę-gah shod-ast

Hamdu li-lâh k-în rasan âwękht-and
faZl-o raHmat-râ ba-ham âmękht-and

tâ be-bîn-î `âlam-é jân-é jadîd
`âlam-é bas âshkâr-é nâ-padîd

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Jalal al-din Rumi, the 13th century Sufi Mystic - enjoy
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