Translations
Divan-e Shams by Rumi, in translations by A. J. Arberry
This page shows only poems with translations by A. J. Arberry.
Poems with translations
غزل شمارهٔ 2370این چه باد صرصر است از آسمان پویان شده
What is this hurricane blowing along from heaven? Hundreds of thousands of ships staggering and reeling before it.
غزل شمارهٔ 2372هله بحری شو و در رو مکن از دور نظاره
Ha, to and enter the sea; do not look on from afar, for the pearl is in the depths of the sea, the foam on the shore.
غزل شمارهٔ 2379بده آن باده جانی، که چنانیم همه
Give that spirited wine, for we are all in such a state that we cannot tell wine from cup, head from foot.
غزل شمارهٔ 2389در خانه دل ای جان آن کیست ایستاده؟
O soul, who is that standing in the house of the heart? Who may be on the royal throne but the king and the prince?
غزل شمارهٔ 2395دیدم نگار خود را میگشت گرد خانه
I saw my sweetheart wandering about the house; he had taken a rebec and was playing a melody.
غزل شمارهٔ 2399ای از تو من برسته ای هم توام بخورده
I am sprung from you and likewise you have devoured me, I melt in you since through you I froze.
غزل شمارهٔ 2408چو آفتاب برآمد ز قعر آب سیاه
The sun has risen from the depths of the water, hear L¯a il¯aha illa ’ll¯ah from every mote.
غزل شمارهٔ 2412چو مست روی توام ای حکیم فرزانه
Since I am intoxicated with your face, learned sage, gaze on me with those intoxicated eyes.
غزل شمارهٔ 2422رخ نفسی بر رخ این مست نه
For a moment lay your cheek on the cheek of this drunkard, for a moment put behind your war and cruelty.
غزل شمارهٔ 2429ای در طواف ماه تو ماه و سپهر مشتری
Circumambulating about your moon, the moon and sky and Jupiter, the sun and hooplike sphere come into your sphere—
غزل شمارهٔ 2437ای یوسفِ خوشنام هی! در ره میا بیهمرهی
Beware, Joseph of the fair name, come not on the road without a fellow traveler; break not away from the Jacob of wisdom lest you fall into a well.
غزل شمارهٔ 2449من پیش از این میخواستم گفتار خود را مشتری
Before this I sought a purchaser for my discourse, and now I wish of you to buy me from my words.
غزل شمارهٔ 2458سنگ مزن بر طرف کارگه شیشهگری
Do not fling stones at the factory of glassmaking, do not strike anew the wounded heart of the broken-hearted.
غزل شمارهٔ 2465آمدهای که راز من بر همگان بیان کنی
You have come in order to expound my secret to all, to reveal and indicate that signless king.
غزل شمارهٔ 2474ریگ ز آب سیر شد من نشدم زهی زهی
The sand has become satiated with the water; I have not become, bravo! No string in this world is there to fit my long bow.
غزل شمارهٔ 2480ای دل بیقرار من راست بگو چه گوهری
Restless heart of mine, say, of what substance are you? Of fire? Of water? Of man? Of peri?
غزل شمارهٔ 2491جمع مکن تو برف را بر خود تا که نفسری
Do not heap snow on yourself, lest you congeal; your snow will make you congeal even though you be the furnace of fire.
غزل شمارهٔ 2493رو بنمودی به تو گر همگی نه جانمی
I would have shown my face to you if I were not wholly soul; the sign of me would have been seen were I not without sign.
غزل شمارهٔ 2498مرا سودای آن دلبر ز دانایی و قرایی
Passion for that Beloved brought me out of learning and reciting so that I became mad and distracted.
غزل شمارهٔ 2509بر دیوانگان امروز آمد شاه پنهانی
Today the king in secret visited the madmen; a shout went up from the souls of the spiritual distracted ones.
غزل شمارهٔ 2514درآمد در میان شهر آدم زفت سیلابی
There entered the city of man a mighty torrent; the heavens were destroyed, and a waterwheel of pure light was set turning.
غزل شمارهٔ 2523دل آتش پرست من که در آتش چو گوگردی
Fire-worshiping heart of mine who spins like a ball in the fire, say to the saki, “Quick now, a glass of lees to begin with!”
غزل شمارهٔ 2530دلم همچون قلم آمد در انگشتان دلداری
My heart came like a pen in the fingers of the Beloved; tonight it is writing zai, tomorrow it will write rai.
غزل شمارهٔ 2537مگردانید با دلبر به حق صحبت و یاری
By the right of old companionship and friendship, do not repeat to the Beloved all that I uttered last night, unconscious and sick;
غزل شمارهٔ 2546سحرگه گفتم آن مه را که ای من جسم و تو جانی
At dawn I said to that moon, “O I body and you soul, I am in this state that you see, and weep for what you know.
غزل شمارهٔ 2558الا ای نقش روحانی چرا از ما گریزانی
O spiritual form, why are you fleeing from us? You are after all of the house, you know the state of this servant.
غزل شمارهٔ 2566آورد طبیب جان یک طبله ره آوردی
The physician of the soul brought a tray as a present; if you are a doting old man you will become fair and youthful.
غزل شمارهٔ 2572جانا به غریبستان چندین به چه میمانی
My soul, why do you tarry so long in the land of exile? Return from this exile; how long will you be dispersed?
غزل شمارهٔ 2577هَمرَنگِ جَماعَت شو تا لذتِ جان بینی
Become of one hue with the community, that you may feel spiritual delight; enter the street of the tavern, that you may behold the dregs-drinkers.
غزل شمارهٔ 2589نه چرخ زمرد را محبوس هوا کردی
You imprisoned in air nine spheres of emerald till you brought into orbit a form of earth.
غزل شمارهٔ 2605ای باغ همیدانی کز باد کی رقصانی
Garden, do you know in whose wind you are dancing? You are pregnant with fruit, intoxicated with the rose bower.
غزل شمارهٔ 2613ای شادی آن روزی کز راه تو بازآیی
How happy the day when you return from the road and shine in the window of the soul like the moon from above!
غزل شمارهٔ 2625گر علم خرابات تو را همنفسستی
If the knowledge of the tavern were your intimate companion, this [formal] knowledge and science would be mere wind and caprice in your eyes;
غزل شمارهٔ 2627عاشق شو و عاشق شو بگذار زحیری
Become a lover, become a lover and bid groaning be gone; you are after all a king’s son, how long will you be a prisoner?
غزل شمارهٔ 2633در خانه خود یافتم از شاه نشانی
I found in my house a token of the king, a ring of ruby and a belt particular of the mine.
غزل شمارهٔ 2641گیرم که نبینی رخ آن دختر چینی
I grant that you do not see the face of that Chinese girl; do you not see the moving of this veil proceeds from her moving?
غزل شمارهٔ 2647دلا چون واقف اسرار گشتی
Heart, since you have become understanding of the mysteries, you have become useless for all other employments.
غزل شمارهٔ 2656نه آتشهای ما را ترجمانی
No interpreter of our fires, not tongue for the secrets of our hearts—
غزل شمارهٔ 2664از این تنگین قفس جانا پریدی
You have flown from this narrow cage, you have escaped from this prison of cutpurses.
غزل شمارهٔ 2667مبارک باد بر ما این عروسی
May these nuptials be blessed for us, may this marriage be blessed for us;
غزل شمارهٔ 2674هلا ای آب حیوان از نوایی
Ho, water of life, turn me about like a mill with plenty.
غزل شمارهٔ 2684شنودم من که چاکر را ستودی
I heard that you praised your servant—who am I? You have shown yourself such kindness.
غزل شمارهٔ 2693به تن با ما، به دل در مرغزاری
In body you are with us, in heart you are in the meadow; you are the quarry yourself when attached to the hunt.
غزل شمارهٔ 2696مرا در خنده میآرد بهاری
The springtide brings me into laughter, a hangover keeps me headspinning.
غزل شمارهٔ 2703ز مهجوران نمیجویی نشانی
Do you not seek a sign of the separated ones? Where has gone that fidelity and affection?
غزل شمارهٔ 2707کجایید ای شهیدان خدایی
Where are you, martyrs divine, affliction-seekers of the plain of Karbala?
غزل شمارهٔ 2713چنان گشتم ز مستی و خرابی
Out of drunkenness and dissolution I have become such that I do not know earth from water.
غزل شمارهٔ 2728باغ است و بهار و سرو عالی
The garden is here, springtime, and the tall cypress—we will not go back from these surroundings.
غزل شمارهٔ 2736چون سوی برادری بپویی
When you are aiming at brotherhood, first of all you must wash your face;
غزل شمارهٔ 2737مجلس چو چراغ و تو چو آبی
The assembly is like a lamp, and you are like water; the lamp is ruined by water.