Don't Say Anything
Ghazal 22191
22532 I'm the devoted admirer of a "Moon."2 Don't say anything
except (about that) Moon. Don't say anything except words about
candles and sugar in my presence.
Don't speak words about trouble; don't speak (any) words except
about treasure.3 And if you are unaware (of what can be said)
about this, don't be distressed (about it and) don't say anything.
Last night I became crazy. Love saw me and said, "I have come.
(So) don't cry out loudly, don't tear your garment,4 (and) don't say
anything."
22535 I said, "O Love! I'm afraid of something else." (Love) said,
"That something else is nothing. Don't say anything.
"I will speak secret words into your ear: move (your) head
meaning, "Yes."5 (But) except for (that indication) with (your)
head, don't say anything."
A Moon (with) spiritual qualities became visible in the pathway of
the heart. What a subtle and exquisite journey there is in the
pathway of the heart! Don't say anything!
I said, "O heart, what is the moon (that) this heart was indicating,
since it is not (within) your (ability to) measure? Pass on (from)
this, (and) don't say anything."
I said, "Is this the face of an angel, (I wonder), or is it human?"
(The heart) said, "This is other than an angel or man. Don't say
anything."
22540 I said, "Tell (me), what is this? (For otherwise) I will
become topsy-turvy." (My heart) said, "Be like this, topsy-turvy,
(and) don't say anything.
"O you (who are) seated in this 'house' 6 full of images and
imaginary forms: get up out of this house, take your baggage, and
go. (And) don't say anything."
22542 I said, "O heart, be fatherly (toward me). Is this not the
quality of God?" (The heart) said, "It is, but don't say anything
about the soul of a father."7
--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, 3/13/04
© Ibrahim Gamard (translation, footnotes, & transliteration)
Notes on the text, with line number:
1Ghazal 2219: Compare to the translation by Franklin Lewis,
"Rumi--Past and Present, East and West: The Life, Teachings and
Poetry of Jalâl al-Din Rumi," 2000, pp. 370-71; compare to the
interpretive translation by Shahram Shiva, "Hush Don't Say
Anything To God: Passionate Poems of Rumi," 2000, pp. 70-72.
2(22532) A Moon: an epithet of the beloved, referring to the radiant
beauty of the full moon, and usually is a reference to Mawlana's
beloved spiritual master, Shams-é Tabriz.
3(22533) treasure [ganj]: contrasted with trouble or suffering [ranj].
Mawlana often refers to the saying that treasure is found in a ruin.
4(22534) don't tear your garment: refers to tearing the upper part of
the shirt (public nudity is forbidden in Islam) when feeling extreme
emotion (such as in extreme melancholy or joyous ecstasy).
5(22536) meaning "Yes" [balà]: refers to the Day of "Am I not," the
primordial covenant between God the souls of mankind prior to the
creation. This is mentioned in Qur'an 7:172: "And when your Lord
drew forth from the children of Adam, from their loins, their seed,
and made them testify concerning themselves, 'Am I not your
Lord?' They said, 'But of course [balà]! We do testify!'"
6(22536) this 'house': means the world and its attractive forms.
7
(22542) the soul of a father [jân- é pedar]: this means that God's
love toward humanity does resemble a father's love. However, one
should take care not to talk about God as resembling a human
father with a soul (like the Christians about the "sonship" of Jesus,
or like the Arab pagans about goddesses as the "daughters" of
Allâh). "Say: 'He is God, the One, the Eternal. He does not beget,
nor is He begotten. And there is no one comparable to Him'"
(Qur'an 112: 1-4).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
22532 man gholâm-é qamar-am ghayr-é qamar hêch ma-gû
pêsh-é man joz sokhan-é sham`-o shakar hêch ma-gû
sokhan-é ranj ma-gû joz sokhan-é ganj ma-gû
w-ar az-în bê-khabarî ranj ma-bar hêch ma-gû
dûsh dêwâna shod-am `ishq ma-râ dîd-o be-goft:
"âmad-am na`ra ma-zan jâma ma-dar hêch ma-gû"
22535 goft-am: "ay `ishq man az chêz-é degar mê-tars-am"
goft: "ân chêz-é degar nêst, degar hêch ma-gû
man ba-gôsh-é tô sokhan-hây-é nehân khwâh-am goft
sar be-janbân ke balà joz ke ba-sar hêch ma-gû"
qamarê jân-Sifatê dar rah-é del paydâ shod
dar rah-é del che laTîf-ast safar hêch ma-gû
goft-am: "ay del, che mah-ast în del ishârat mê-kard
ke na andâza-yé to-st în be-goZar hêch ma-gû"
goft-am: "în rôy-é fereshta-st `ajab yâ bashar-ast?"
goft: "în ghayr‚é fereshta-st-o bashar hêch ma-gû"
22540 goft-am: "în chîst, be-gû? zêr-o zabar khwâh-am shod"
goft: "mê-bâsh chon-în zêr-o zabar hêch ma-gû
ay neshasta tô dar-în khâna-yé por naqsh-o khayâl
khêz az în khâna be-raw, rakht be-bar hêch ma-gû"
22542 goft-am: "ay del pedarî kon, na ke în waSf-é khodâ-st?"
goft: "în hast, walê jân-é pedar hêch ma-gû"
Meter: XoXX ooXX ooXX ooX
(Ramal sâlim makhbûn mahzûf)
