In the early morning hour,
just before dawn, lover and beloved awake
and take a drink of water.
She asks, Do you love me or yourself more?
Really, tell me the absolute truth.
He says, There is nothing left of me.
I am like a ruby held up to the sunrise.
Is it still a stone, or a world
made of redness? It has no resistance
to sunlight. The ruby and the sunrise are one.
Be courageous and discipline yourself.
Work. Keep digging your well.
Don't think about getting off from work.
Submit to a daily practice.
Your loyalty to that is a ring on the door.
Keep knocking, and the joy inside
will eventually open a window
and look out to see who's there.
10 comments:
It is now, here in England, the early morning hour. Just before dawn. Though my beloved is asleep. So I don't have to answer that question. (Though it may not have been asked.) I'm about to begin my work. And I'm hoping for the joy inside to flower.
Yes, keep knocking.
This is one of my all time favorites. The whole thing. And this: Work . . . don't think about getting off from work.
waking with intention begins the work. the task is to honour the intention. steven
I love the image of joy being inside and eventually opening a window to see who is outside. I'm relatively newly in love with Rumi and so amazed, so filled with awe. Thank you for your blog!
Can you please give me Persian version of this peom?
Sorry Rafi, I'm afraid I can't.
It is okay. Any reference that could help me find the original version of it. I really need it for one of my assignment. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you so much.
I'm afraid I can't help. I simply typed up these translations from a book. No connection for me with the original. Maybe try googling.
Thank you.
The translation above appears to be from Coleman Barks’ version. Barks did not translate Rumi; rather, he rewrote more literal translations into lyrical English. His note on this poem says it is from Book V of the Mathnawi in Reynold Nicholson’s edition. Perhaps that edition gives more information about the original. Hope that helps.
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