Rumi

Someone knocked on the door of the Beloved. A voice asked, 'Who is it?' The lover replied, 'It's me.' The voice said, 'Go away; there's no room for both of us.'

The lover came again and knocked. The voice asked, 'Who is it?' The lover replied, 'It is you.' The voice said, 'Enter, for I am within.'

The angels could not agree to become murderers and idolaters, but they agreed to drink wine, not knowing that wine was the source of sin and shame.

Until the glorious Sun hath vanquished Night, The Birds of Day cower trembling with affright. But lo! a bright glance bids the Tulip ope; O Heart, awake thou too, in Duty's might. The Sun's Sword sheds in reddening flush of Dawn The Blood of Night, and puts the Foe to flight. The Soul still full of sleep, dreams Night prevails; But no! Day comes, and triumphs full in sight. While grey Dawn lingers, dubious yet is Day; But in Day's glow, who still can doubt the Light. The Light grows in the East; I in the West On Mountain top, reflect the Morn's delight. To Beauty's Sun, I'm but the pale moon here; Then look from me towards the Sun's face bright. The Light in East is called JELÁLEDDÍN; And here my verse reflects its glowing White.

Death endeth sure Life's need and pain; Yet Life in fear would Death restrain. Life only sees dark Death's dread Hand, Not that bright Cup it offered plain. So shrinks from Love the tender Heart, As if from threat of being slain. But when true Love awakens, dies The Self, that despot dark and vain. Then let him die in Night's black hour, And freely breathe in Dawn again.

Soul of mine, thou dawning Light: Be not far, O be not far! Love of mine, thou Vision bright: Be not far, O be not far! Life is where thou smilest sweetly; Death is in thy parting look; Here mid Death and Life's fierce fight: Be not far, O be not far! I am East when thou art rising; I am West when thou dost set; Bring Heaven's own radiant hues to sight: Be not far, O be not far! See how well my Turban fitteth, yet the Parsee Girdle binds me; Cord and Wallet I bear light: Be not far, O be not far! True Parsee and true Brahman, a Christian, yet a Mussulman; Thee I trust, Supreme by Right: Be not far, O be not far! In all Mosques, Pagodas, Churches, I do find One Shrine alone; Thy Face is there my sole delight: Be not far, O be not far! Thine the World's all-loving Heart; and for it I yearn and pray; O take not from my Heart thy flight: Be not far, O be not far! Thee, the World's Eternal Centre, here I circle round in prayer; Thy absence is last judgment quite: Be not far, O be not far! Thine, Judgment Day and Blessedness: Mine is Bliss when Thou art nigh; Keep me circling in thy Might: Be not far, O be not far! Fair World Rose, O blossom forth; sweet Heart-buds unfold in Love; Put on the longing Soul's pure White: Be not far, O be not far! O Rose, hear through Night's silence, how he thrills—thy Nightingale; As if I did his Notes indite: Be not far, O be not far! JELÁLEDDÍN, all loving, let Love's Heart resist no more: Hear him chaunting, Day and Night: Be not far, O be not far!

All Unbelief is Midnight, but Faith the Night-Lamp's glow; Then see that no Thief cometh to steal thy Lamp when low. Our Hope is for the Sunlight, from which the Lamp did shine; The Light from which it kindled, still feeds its flame below. But when the Sun hath risen, both Night and Lamp go out; And Unbelief and Faith then, the higher Vision know. O Night! Why art thou dreaming? O Lamp! Why flickerest so? The swift Sun-horses panting, from East their fire-foam throw. 'Tis Night still in the shadow; the village Lamp burns dim; But in Dawn's Splendour towering, the Peaks Heaven's Glory show.

The Day has dawned, thy festal Day, O Rose; Our cheeks all glow in thy bright Ray, O Rose. Love was the Gardener of the Rose-bed there; And now thy Flower blooms forth all gay, O Rose. When Herald Breezes blew: _The Rose!_ the Flowers Kneeling to thee glad Homage pay, O Rose. The Tulips danced; the Lilies, drinking there, Their brightest hues to thee display, O Rose. The Cypress whispered to the Ivy: Wake! Why dream'st thou, Child? She dreamed thy Play, O Rose; The Nightingale a thousand long nights through But trilled thy own sweet Melody, O Rose. The Heavens more fair assume thy radiant form, But thou outviest their Phantasy, O Rose. The Rose a message brings from Paradise Where Souls for thee all eager stay, O Rose. The Rose brings greeting to the Soul from Home; The Soul forgets thee not for aye, O Rose. The Rose unfolds the Sign of Beauty there: God's Seal Himself the Poets say, O Rose. The Soul crowns all Man's festal Cup of Joy; That he with thee may breathe Life's May, O Rose. The Rose is twined in all Life's gladdest Bonds, That Love from Man ne'er flee away, O Rose. Be closed in Buds thy Lips; but there let shine The Smile that ever in thee lay, O Rose.

Sound Drum and mellow Flute, resounding: ALLAH HU! Dance, ruddy Dawn, in Gladness bounding: ALLAH HU! Sun exalted in the Centre, O thou streaming Light; Soul of all wheeling Planets rounding: ALLAH HU! O Hearts! O Worlds! how soon your Dancing all would stop, Did not His Power sustain astounding! ALLAH HU! Love mazy, winding, changing, all embraces, The Night, the Dawn, the Day, resounding: ALLAH HU! Boom, Sea! on Shore, and Rock, thy Music praising God; O Nightingale to Rose trill, sounding: ALLAH HU! O Soul, what if one Star should falter in the Dance? His Will is Order ever founding: ALLAH HU! Who knows Love's mazy circling, ever lives in God; For Death, he knows, is Love abounding: ALLAH HU!

O Eyes, go forth the Spring to view, That smiles upon our Plains anew. A Heavenly Child in cradling Flowers, Sweet Breath from Skies unclouded drew. The Morning Breeze his Nurse, that rocked His Cradle, with soft Lullings due. The Baby feigns to sleep, and blinks, Shutting his little Eyelids two. And when the Lids are oped again, The Eyebrows drip with sparkling Dew. The Bees hum round and busy sip The Nectar, and make Honey new. O come, and let the Baby's smiles And Laughter, pierce thee through and through. O come, and leave your wintry Cell, And let Heaven's Light thy Life renew. And build new Cells with honey'd Wax, Plann'd like the Bees' six-sided, true. And warmed by radiant Fire of Flowers, Old Winter's reign of Death undo. Regret is dead; Love lives again; New Life transforms the Landscape's Hue. Bold enter, then, green Spring's loved Haunts, And drink fresh Wine, nor fear to rue. And drinking full Love's sweetest Draught, The glowing Heart new Love shall woo. Love wakes afresh in Earth and Heaven; The Rose in green, the Sun in blue. O Nightingale, behold thy Rose! O Eagle, thy bright Sun pursue!

Our Fasting is over; 'tis Spring's festal Day: Hallelu! O dearest Guest welcome, all Sorrow's away: Hallelu! O Love once forsaken, forsaken Heart now be forsaken; Thy loved One has come, and for ever will stay: Hallelu! The Parting is parted; the Sev'rance at last is all sever'd; The Union united, without more delay: Hallelu! The Flight is now flown off; the Banishment's pain is now banished; All distant the Distance; our Bird Nest all gay: Hallelu! The Moon in the Heavens, the Rose in the Heart, in Love's Garden; The King in his Palace, proud Banners display: Hallelu! Life stirs in the Rootlet; soft Sap in the Leaflet is spreading; Green Buds on the Branches are crowning his Sway: Hallelu! Let come our Foe hated, for now will he meet our Defender; We scorn and defy him, all safe now for aye: Hallelu! Yea, flood me all over, all over with Fire of Love burning; Now well can I bear it; I'll ne'er burn away: Hallelu! And now it is certain my Soul is bound up in Salvation; And all of Earth's sadness is sunk in Earth's clay: Hallelu! O Chalice full brimming, poured out for the thirst of the worlds; We thank thee, we bless thee, and drink while we pray: Hallelu! Long parch'd lay the World, a Desert profane, till thy Breath came On Wings of the Morning, when bright the Dew lay: Hallelu! We longed as we waited for Spring's Sun our Life to renew; JELÁLEDDÍN'S warm Breath from East came to-day: HALLELU!

I am the Vine; Strong Elm, O give me leave, All round thee my fond Tendrils now to weave. I am the Ivy; be my Cedar Trunk, That I no more to Earth's damp soil may cleave. I am the Bird; O come, be my light Wings, That soaring I yon azure Heaven retrieve. I am the Steed; O come and be my spur, That quick the Victor Goal may me receive. I am the Rosebud; O be my own Rose, That gaudy Earth-weeds ne'er my Heart deceive. I am the East; then rise in me, O Sun, Flame up in Light, and all my Pain relieve. I am the Night; O be my Starry Crown, That in Life's darkness I nor fear, nor grieve.

With Thy sweet Soul, this Soul of mine— Hath mixed as Water doth with Wine. Who can the Wine and Water part, Or me and Thee when we combine? Thou art become my greater Self; Small Bounds no more can me confine. Thou hast my Being taken on, And shall not I now take on Thine? Me Thou for ever hast affirmed, That I may ever know Thee mine. Thy Love has pierced me through and through, Its Thrill with Bone and Nerve entwine. I rest a Flute laid on Thy Lips; A Lute I on Thy Breast recline. Breathe deep in me that I may sigh; Yet strike my Strings, and Tears shall shine. So sweet my Tears, my Sighs so sweet, I to the World its Joys resign. Thou restest in my inmost Soul Whose depths the mirror'd Heaven define. O Pearl in my Mussel Shell: O Diamond in my darkest Mine! My Honey is in Thee dissolved; O Milk of Life, so mild, so fine! Our Sweetnesses all blent in Thee, Give infant Lips their Smiles benign. Thou crushest me to Drops of Rose; Nor 'neath the Press do I repine. In Thy sweet Pain is Pain forgot; For I, Thy Rose, had this design. Thou bad'st me blossom on Thy Robe, And mad'st me for all eyes Thy Sign. And when Thou pour'st me on the World, It blows in Beauty, all Divine.

Although thy Brightness glistens in the Sun, indeed; Yet is my Light with thine all radiant, One, indeed! Thou mad'st of Dust all glitt'ring the circling Heavens above; Yet will with mine thy Spirit ne'er Union shun, indeed! To Dust return the Heavens; again Heavens spring from Dust; Yet hast thou in my Being thy own Life spun, indeed! Now have the Words Eternal that through Heaven's vastness ring, Found Home in human Bosom, and dearer none, indeed! Thou hast the Sunbeams hidden, that in the Diamond glow, Deep, deep in Earth's dark Chambers, a Wonder done, indeed! See, though in vile Soil feeding, and drinking filthy slime, To yon Rose peerless Beauty, in Love, hath run, indeed! O Heart, and be it thou swimmest in Flood, or glow'st in Fire, The same are Fire and Flood: Be pure, my Son, indeed! O MEVLANA, at Morning I woke, and found with thee, My Eyes from Tears all brighten'd, and Heaven now won, indeed!

O LOVE, to thee I own, I wept in Night's dark Thought; But now thy radiant Sun to me hath bright Day brought. O SOUL of my own Soul, my I as I am Thou: Thou art the All, and I in thee have all I sought. Thou art Life's Sweetness self, Intoxication full,— The brimming Sea of Pearls, the Gold to pureness wrought. Whoe'er approaches thee, must first his Soul resign; He dies beneath thy frown, lives when thy Smile is caught. Thy Favour thrills in fear the trembling Lover's heart, Till comes thy Wrath and smites his Weakness into Naught.

I saw how Sunward soaring, an Eagle cleaved the air; And how in Shadow sitting, there coo'd a Turtle pair. I saw how o'er the Heavens, the Clouds in Herds rush'd wild; And how close round the Shepherd the Lambkins gather'd fair. I heard the Stars all asking: When shall we rise again? And Buds in Seedlings folded sigh: Doth Love for us care? I saw a Grass blade blossom at Morn and fade at Night; While Cedars braved a thousand Years the Tempests raging there. I saw old Ocean's Billows like Kings all crowned with foam, Then flung from Rocks, down fallen, like Penitents in Prayer. I saw a Dewdrop sparkling, nor did it Danger dread; But, soon consumed, it vanish'd, that sun-bright Jewel rare. I saw close crowding Mankind new Towns and Castles rear; And swarming Ants heaped Hillocks up, with Winter's garner'd fare. I saw the Warhorse prancing and trampling golden Grain; And all his Hoofs were redden'd with the Blood of Love's Despair. I saw the Winter weaving from Flakes a Robe of Death; And the Spring found Earth in Mourning, all naked, lone and bare. I heard Time's Loom a-whirring that wove the Sun's dim Veil; I saw a Worm a-weaving in Life-threads its own Lair. I saw the Great was Smallest, and saw the Smallest Great; For God had set His Likeness on all the Things that were.

Come, O Springtide of my Love: the World, again, make New! Light in Heaven and Flowers on Earth, o'er Hill and Plain, make New! With the blue gleaming Sun-gem, set thy new green Turban on; And o'er the Fields all verdant, thy floral Train, make New! Paint Meadows fresh with bright Buds, let Hedgerows sprout once more; Rose Breast-Knots, slender Lilies in bathing Rain, make New! Melt with thy warm Breath Winter's iced Coat and frozen Spear; With tender Smile shame Hatred; Peace, ending Pain, make New! The Air pines for thy Whisper, and the Rose's Breath is faint; Then from Slumber rouse thy Zephyrs, and the feather'd Vane, make New! Roll, Thunder, pour thy Bounty adown from bursting Cloud; Now bathe from Head to Foot free, and Death's Disdain, make New! Strike, Pine, upon the Wind-drum! O Plane-tree, clap thy Hands! Brooding Love, the dreamy birth Down on feather'd Train, make New! Vines, twine around the Elm Trees, God's Glory showing fair; While Violets kiss the soft Sod, Spring's sweet Hymn-strain, make New! Hyacinths the Tulips fondle; woos Rose the Nightingale. While Turtles coo in low Notes, my Song's Refrain, make New! Kindle Altar-fire in Blossoms, in Fragrance Incense burn; The Pan Pipes that in dead Grass, long have silent lain, make New! Let Leaves shoot quivering Tongues out, Love's Questionings in Play; And whisp'ring to each other, Love's Wrangling vain, make New. Hark! How the Morning Breezes, at rosy Dawn all call: Up! Up! O Friend, 'tis Spring-time: the Soul's glad Reign, make New! Behold the Spring in Glory! O thou Alchemist of Flowers, Smelt the fiery Glow to Blossoms; our World, again, make New!

Come! Come! Thou art the Soul, the Soul so dear, Revolving! Come! Come! Thou art the Cedar, the Cedar's Spear, Revolving! O Come! The Well of Light up-bubbling springs; And Morning Stars exult, in Gladness sheer, Revolving! Of the o'er-arching Heavens, the Highest is the Seventh; But over all thou stretchest, bright, and clear, Revolving! In warmest Arms of Love thou hold'st me clasped, And thee I hold enclasped, soft breathing, near, Revolving! In Sunbeams dance the Motes, by Sunlight grasped, O Sunlight, grasping me, dispel my Fear, Revolving! The Motes dance mute, yet telling all of Love; O silent Love! Teach me thy own Dance here, Revolving!

A mote I in the Sunshine, yet am the Sun's vast Ball; I bid the Sun spread Sunlight, and make the Mote be small. I am the Morning Splendour; I am the Evening Breeze; I am the Leaf's soft Rustle; the Billow's Rise and Fall. I am the Mast and Rudder, the Steersman and the Ship; I am the Cliff out-jutting, the Reef of Coral Wall. I am the Bird Ensnarer, the Bird and Net as well; I am both Glass and Image; the Echo and the Call. I am the Tree and Branches, and all the Birds thereon; I am both Thought and Silence, Tongues' Speech, and Ocean Squall. I am the Flute when piping, and Man's Soul breathing breath; I am the sparkling Diamond, and Metals that enthrall. I am the Grape enclustered, the Wine-press and the Must; I am the Wine, Cup-bearer, and crystal Goblet tall. I am the Flame and Butterfly, which round it circling flits; I am the Rose and Nightingale, the Rose's Passioned Thrall. I am the Cure and Doctor, Disease and Antidote; I am the Sweet and Bitter, the Honey and the Gall. I am the War and Warrior, the Victor and the Field; I am the City peaceful, the Battle and the Brawl. I am the Brick and Mortar, the Builder and the Plan, I am the Base and Gable, new House and ruined Hall. I am the Stag and Lion, the Lamb and black-maw'd Wolf; I am the Keeper of them, who shuts them in one Stall. I am the Chain of Beings, the Ring of circling Worlds; The Stages of Creation, where'er it rise or fall. I am what is and is not; I am—O Thou who know'st, Jeláleddín, O tell it—I AM the SOUL in All!

O thou who hast come safely, into this Being's Land; Strange, thou thyself not knowest, how thou didst reach its Strand.— Straight from the great Shah's Chamber, thou cam'st to Being's Town, Sent here to do the Business which he himself had planned. The Lord gave, then, to prove thee, Capacity to do; And as entrusted Capital, thy Sum of Life in hand. How has the Market's Turmoil confused thy Sense and Brain; That thou the Pledge entrusted, can yet not understand? O cease to dream and rouse thee; and do thy Duty well; Buy choicest Pearls more wisely, and give not Gold for Sand. When thou to Home returnest, thou'lt see Him sitting there; Thy Lord with His Book open, and His own faithful Band. He will hold count, and reckon all that Himself did give; And ask how thou did'st use it, when under His Command. And then will come His Blessing, or Curse, both just and sure, According as thy Credit, or thy Debt, summed up shall stand.