We Are Entirely One Complete Being
Ghazal 30201
Come nearer, nearer! How much more of this highway robbery?2
Since you are me (and) I am you, how much more of (this) being you and being me?
We are the light of God and the (shining) glass.3 How much (more) of this quarreling with (our own) self?
How should light flee like this from light?
We are entirely one complete being. Why are we seeing double like this?4
Why should a wealthy person look at poor people with contempt?
Why should the right (hand) look at its (own) left with contempt,
(since) both are your hands? What does a right hand have (in common) with the vile?
We are one substance, one mind, (and) one head --
but we became seeing double because of these curved heavens.5
Bring your baggage from these five (senses) and six (directions)6 toward the direction of Oneness.
How much (longer) will you (try to) fold (in two) the cypress tree of Unity?*
Take care! Rise up from selfishness (and) intermix with all.
With your own self you are (only) a grain, (but) with everyone you are a mine (of gems).
Whatever a male lion does, the dog will act the same as a dog.
Whatever the pure spirit does, the body will act the same as a body.
Know that the spirit is one and the body has become numbered a hundred thousand (times) --
just as almonds in (sharing) the quality of being oil (together).
(There) are many languages in the world, (but) all are (with) one meaning.7
Water has become one when you break the jars.
The spirit will send news to any possessed of (spiritual) vision
when you break the heart from words.8
--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, 6/06, revised 1/20
© Ibrahim Gamard (translation, footnotes, & transliteration)
Notes on the text:
1Ghazal 3020. Compare to the translation from Persian by Jeffrey Osborne, "Jalal al-Din Rumi: Divan-i Kabir Vol. X, The Tenth Meter," 2018, pp. 197-98. Compare to the translation from Persian to Turkish by Sefik Can, tranlated into English by Zeki Saritoprak and Cuneyt Eroglu, as "Fundamentals of Rumi's Thought: A Mevlevi Sufi Perspective," 2004, pp. 148-49.
3(shining) glass: a reference to the famous Light verse in the Qur'an (24:35: "God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His Light is as if there were a niche within which is a lamp. The lamp is (enclosed) in a glass, a glass (shining) like a radiant star. (The lamp is) kindled from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the East nor of the West, whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself) even if no fire touched it. Light upon Light! God guides to His Light whom He will." 4seeing double: refers to near-sightednes, in which a single object at a distance may appear as two objects. 5curved heavens: the sky was viewed as consisting of concentric circles or rotating domes of the "wandering stars" (the planets) and above these, the "fixed stars."
6six directions: the four horizontal directions plus up and down.
7one meaning: All languages praise the Unity of God.
8from words: means from attachment to thinking, which produces a fog of mental activity that distorts and prevents the mind from seeing reality clearly.
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pêsh-tar â, pêsh-tar, chand az în rah-zanî?
chûn tô man-î, man tô-am, chand tô'î-wo manî?
nûr-é Haq-êm-o zujâj, bâ khwod chandîn lajâj?
az che gorêz-ad chonîn, rôshanî az rôshanî?
mâ hama yak kâmil-êm, az che chonîn aHwal-êm?
khwâr che-râ be-n'gar-ad sôy-é faqîr-ân ghanê?
râst che-râ be-n'gar-ad sôy-é chap-é khwêsh khwâr?
har dô chû dast-e tow-and, che yamanê che danî?
mâ hama yak gawhar-êm, yak khirad-wo yak sar-êm
lêk dô bîn gashta-êm, z-în falak-é munHanî
rakht az în panj-o shash, jânib-e tawHîd kash
'ar'ar-é tawHîd-râ chand kon-î munthanî?
hîn ze-manî khêz kon, bâ hama âmêz kon
bâ khwod-é khwod Habba'î, bâ hama chûn ma'danê
har che kon-ad shêr-é nar, sag be-kon-ad ham sagî
har che kon-ad rûH-é pâk, tan be-kon-ad ham tanî
rûH yakî dân-o tan gashta 'adad Sad hazâr
ham-chû ke bâdâm-hâ, dar Sifat-é rôghanî
chand lughat dar jahân, jumla ba ma'nî yakî
âb yakî gashta chûn khâbî'a-hâ be-sh'kan-î
jân be-ferest-ad khabar jânib-e har bâ-naZar
chûn ke ba tawHîd tô del ze-sukhan bar kan-î
Meter (from Meter 10): XooX XoX XooX XoX
(munsariH maTwiyy makhsûf)
