Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Maulana Jalalud'din Rumi - Whoever Brought Me Here

Whoever knows the original work please let me know it's title.

Whoever Brought Me Here

All day I think about it, then at night I say it.
Where did I come from, and what am I supposed to be doing?
I have no idea.
My soul is from elsewhere, I'm sure of that,
and I intend to end up there.

This drunkenness began in some other tavern.
When I get back around to that place,
I'll be completely sober. Meanwhile,
I'm like a bird from another continent, sitting in this aviary.
The day is coming when I fly off,
but who is it now in my ear who hears my voice?
Who says words with my mouth?

Who looks out with my eyes? What is the soul?
I cannot stop asking.
If I could taste one sip of an answer,
I could break out of this prison for drunks.
I didn't come here of my own accord, and I can't leave that way.
Whoever brought me here, will have to take me home.

This poetry. I never know what I'm going to say.
I don't plan it.
When I'm outside the saying of it,
I get very quiet and rarely speak at all.


Trans. Coleman Barks.

4 comments:

Umer toor said...

Was forcd to copy all of it on my copy of Maqalat e Sufia by moulana thanvi ra... Refreshing for my soul

Haris Gulzar said...

One of those great works by Runi. These are questions we should be asking ourselves...

Anonymous said...

"When I'm outside the saying of it,
I get very quiet and rarely speak at all."

reminds me of LTC! and other classes!
but still the idea that when u submit totally, even your tongue is guided by the Eternal Being is overwhelming.

swams said...

Any idea whats the title of the original by Maulana Rumi?