Come to the Source of Your Own Self
Ghazal 1201
How much longer will you travel backwards? Don't go into
unbelief and denial,2 (but) come to [true] religion!3
1355 See the sweet drink within the poison4 (and) come to the
poison! Come, at last, to the Source of the source of your own self!
Even though you are of the earth in form, still, you are the [fine
spiritual] thread (made) of the (very) substance of Certainty.5
You are the trusted (guardian) of the treasury of the Light of God.
Come, at last, to the Source of the source of your own self!
Know that when you have bound yourself to selflessness, you will
escape from (attachment to) self-ness.
And (then) you will leap away from the bonds of a thousand traps.
Come, at last, to the Source of the source of your own self!
1360 You were born from the generations of (Adam who was) an
appointed Deputy (of God),6 (yet) you have opened an eye to this base world.
How sad that you are happy with (only) this amount for yourself!
Come, at last, to the Source of the source of your own self!
Although you are the protecting spell (which guards the treasures)
of this world, you are a Mine [of Heavenly Jewels] within yourself.
Open (your) two hidden eyes. Come, at last, to the Source of the
source of your own self!
Since you have been born from the ray of the Majesty (of God) and
you are (born) with a fortunate rising (sign)7 of good omen,
1365 How much longer will you groan and wail about every
non-existent (worldly thing)?8 Come, at last, to the Source of the source of your own self!
You are a ruby in the middle of a granite rock. How much longer
will you deceive us?
(The truth) is apparent within your eyes, O friend. Come, at last, to
the Source of the source of your own self!
When you came from the side of that proud beloved,9 you came
(in a) drunken, kind, and heart-attracted (state).
You (also) came with joyous eyes and full of the fire [of love].
Come, at last, to the Source of the source of your own self!
1370 Shams-i Tabrîz, the king and cupbearer, has been holding the
cup of everlasting (life) before you.
Glory be to God! What excellent pure ("wine")!10 Come, at last, to
the Source of the source of your own self!
--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, 4/19/03
© Ibrahim Gamard (translation, footnotes, & transliteration)
Notes on the text, with line number:
1Ghazal 120: Compare to: the translation (from the
Turkish translation of Golpinarli) by Nevit Ergin, "Dîvân-i Kebîr," Volume
13, pp. 13-15.
2(1354) unbelief and denial [kufr]: denial of the One True God
(such as worshipping other deities or partners along with God, who
is Unique), ingratitude to God for the plenitude and blessings of
the creation, and rejection of the authority of God's Messengers
and Prophets--from Noah and Abraham, to Moses, Jesus, and
Muhammad.
3(1354) [true] religion: pure monotheism, Islam, pure love of the
One God.
4(1355) See the sweet drink within the poison: means, "Discover
spiritual bliss after enduring the austerities of purification from ego
and self-centered preoccupations.
5(1356) Certainty: means certainty of the Reality of God, the Only
Beloved.
6(1360) an appointed Deputy (of God) [khalîfa]: means Adam, who
was the appointed representative of God on earth. (Qur'an 2:30; see
also 38:26). This means that the Prophets and saints of God reflect
on earth the Divine Attributes of God, such as Light, Love,
Kindness, Mercy, etc.
7(1364) fortunate rising (sign): means born on the day whose rising
planet is a sign of good fortune. A metaphor for spiritual blessings
and favors.
8(1365) every non-existent (thing): means the objects of this world,
which are transient, illusory, and non-lasting.
9(1368) that proud beloved: may refer to Shams-i Tabrîz, or another
close companion of Mawlânâ's (such as Salâhuddîn Zarkôb or
Husâmuddîn Chelebî).
10(1371) pure ("wine"):"wine" (drinking alcohol is forbidden in
Islam) in sufi poetry symbolizes a spiritual "taste," or
experiencemeans that Shams-i Tabrîz offers a state of
pure spiritual bliss to those favored by his presence.
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tâ chand tô pas raw-î? ba-pêsh â
dar kufr ma-raw, ba-sôy-é kêsh â
1355 dar nêsh tô nûsh bîn, ba-nêsh â
âkhir tô ba-aSl-é aSl-é khwêsh â
har chand ba-Sûrat az zamîn-î
pas reshta-yé gawhar-é yaqîn-î
bar makhzan-é nûr-é Haq amîn-î
âkhir tô ba-aSl-é aSl-é khwêsh â
khwad-râ chô ba-bê-khwadî be-bast-î
mê-dân-ke tô az khwadî be-rast-î
w-az band-é hazâr dâm jast-î
âkhir tô ba-aSl-é aSl-é khwêsh â
1360 az posht-é khalîfa-yé be-zâd-î
chashmê ba-jahân-é dûn goshâd-î
âwa ke ba-d-în qadr-é tô shâd-î
âkhir tô ba-aSl-é aSl-é khwêsh â
har chand Talism-é în jahân-î
dar bâTin-é khwêshtan tô kân-î
be-g'shâ'î dô dîda-yé nehânê
âkhir tô ba-aSl-é aSl-é khwêsh â
chûn zâda-yé partaw-é jalâl-î
w-az Tâli`-é sa`d-é nêk-fâl-î
1365 az har `adamê tô chand nâl-î
âkhir tô ba-aSl-é aSl-é khwêsh â
la`lê ba-meyân-é sang-é khârâ
tâ chand ghalaT deh-î tô mâ-râ
dar chashm-é tô Zahir-ast yârâ
âkhir tô ba-aSl-é aSl-é khwêsh â
chûn az bar-é yâr-é sar-kash ây-î
sar-mast-o laTîf-o del-kash ây-î
bâ chashm-é khûsh-o por-âtash ây-î
âkhir tô ba-aSl-é aSl-é khwêsh â
1370 dar pêsh-é tô dâsht jâm-é bâqî
shams-é tabrîz-é shâh-o sâqî
subHâna 'llâh zehî rawâqê
âkhir tô ba-aSl-é aSl-é khwêsh â
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meter: XXo oXoX oXX
(Hazaj akrab maqbûz mahzûf)
