quatrain 269

From sunlight, two further interpretations of quatrain #269, to add to Houshmand's discussed at lovely one.

I see His face,
I see His smile –
There is my joy!
I feel His rage
I feel His painful blows –
There is my joy!

But what's this?
He has asked for my head!
At least He has asked me for something –
There is my joy!

-- Version by Jonathan Star and Shahram Shiva
A Garden Beyond Paradise
Bantam Books, 1992

I am in love not only
with his smile and radiant face
but also with his wrath and contempt.
He has asked for my head
I do not care if I lose it
what makes me ecstatic is
Him asking.

-- Translation by Azima Melita Kolin and Maryam Mafi
Rumi: Hidden Music
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 2001

quatrain 454

From sunlight, an interpretation of quatrain #454, to add to the translation by Houshmand discussed at winners and losers.

To that Beloved,
flower and thorn are one;
A verse of the Koran
And a Brahmin's thread are one.

Don't try to impress Him –
To that Beloved,
hero and fool are one.

-- Version by Jonathan Star and Shahram Shiva
A Garden Beyond Paradise
Bantam Books, 1992

quatrain 369

From sunlight, two versions of quatrain #369:

People who are sad,
know not from where that sadness comes.
People who are happy,
know not from where that happiness comes.
People who search to the left,
or to the right,
know not the left from the right.
People who always say, "I and mine,"
know not what is "I"
nor what is "mine."

-- Version by Jonathan Star and Shahram Shiva
A Garden Beyond Paradise
Bantam Books, 1992

many are sad and never know
where the sorrow comes from
many are happy but ignorant
that it is all from God
many go right and left
not knowing where to go
many me and us are
going on within
but remain unknown

--Translation by Nader Khalili
Rumi, Dancing the Flame
Cal-Earth Press, 2001