[Sunlight] Tired of hunting, I surrender -- Ghazal 1419

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Wednesday, March 30, 2005 11:29 AM

[sunlight] Tired of hunting, I surrender -- Ghazal 1419

 

 

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> Here, Sunlight offers Ghazal (Ode) 1419, from Rumi's " Diwan-e

> Shams " ( " The Collection of Shams " ), in translations by Nader

> Khalili, and Azima Melita Kolin and Maryam Mafi:

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> i was ready to tell

> the story of my life

> but the ripple of tears

> and the agony of my heart

> wouldn't let me

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> i began to stutter

> saying a word here and there

> and all along i felt

> as tender as a crystal

> ready to be shattered

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> in this stormy sea

> we call life

> all the big ships

> come apart

> board by board

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> how can i survive

> riding a lonely

> little boat

> with no oars

> and no arms

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> my boat did finally break

> by the waves

> and i broke free

> as i tied myself

> to a single board

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> though the panic is gone

> i am now offended

> why should i be so helpless

> rising with one wave

> and falling with the next

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> i don't know

> if i am

> nonexistence

> while i exist

> but i know for sure

> when i am

> i am not

> but

> when i am not

> then i am

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> now how can i be

> a skeptic

> about the

> resurrection and

> coming to life again

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> since in this world

> i have many times

> like my own imagination

> died and

> been born again

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> that is why

> after a long agonizing life

> as a hunter

> i finally let go and got

> hunted down and became free

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> -- Translation by Nader Khalili

> " Rumi -- Fountain of Fire "

> Cal-Earth Press, 1994

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> I was going to tell you my story

> but waves of pain drowned my voice.

> I tried to utter a word but my thoughts

> became fragile and shattered like glass.

> Even the largest ship can capsize

> in the stormy sea of love,

> let alone my feeble boat

> which shattered to pieces leaving me nothing

> but a strip of wood to hold on to.

> Small and helpless, rising to heaven

> on one wave of love and falling with the next

> I don't even know if I am or I am not.

> When I think I am, I find myself worthless,

> when I think I am not, I find my value.

> Like my thoughts, I die and rise again each day

> so how can I doubt the resurrection?

> Tired of hunting for love in this world,

> at last I surrender in the valley of love

> and become free.

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> -- Translation by Azima Melita Kolin

> and Maryam Mafi

> " Rumi: Hidden Music "

> HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 2001

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