Love

Ode XXXVIII

by Jalal al-Din Rumi 1207–1273

Translated by R. A. Nicholson (1898) · From Selected Poems from the Divani Shamsi Tabriz (1898)

Love

Happy the moment when we are seated in the palace, thou and I,
With two forms and with two figures but with one soul, thou and I.
The colours of the grove and the voice of the birds will bestow immortality
At the time when we come into the garden, thou and I.
The stars of heaven will come to gaze upon us;
We shall show them the moon itself, thou and I.
Thou and I, individuals no more, shall be mingled in ecstasy,
Joyful, and secure from foolish babble, thou and I.
All the bright-plumed birds of heaven will devour their hearts with envy
In the place where we shall laugh in such a fashion, thou and I.
This is the greatest wonder, that thou and I, sitting here in the same nook,
Are at this moment both in ‘Iraq and Khorasan, thou and I.

MLA

Rumi, Jalal al-Din. “Ode XXXVIII.” Translated by R. A. Nicholson. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/rumi/37/.

Chicago

Rumi, Jalal al-Din. “Ode XXXVIII.” Translated by R. A. Nicholson. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/rumi/37/.

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