Religion
Death and Life
Translated by William Hastie, after Rückert's German (1903) · From The Festival of Spring (1903)
Death endeth sure Life's need and pain;
Yet Life in fear would Death restrain.
Life only sees dark Death's dread Hand,
Not that bright Cup it offered plain.
So shrinks from Love the tender Heart,
As if from threat of being slain.
But when true Love awakens, dies
The Self, that despot dark and vain.
Then let him die in Night's black hour,
And freely breathe in Dawn again.
Cite this poem
MLA
Rumi, Jalal al-Din. “Death and Life.” Translated by William Hastie, after Rückert's German. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/rumi/49/.
Chicago
Rumi, Jalal al-Din. “Death and Life.” Translated by William Hastie, after Rückert's German. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/rumi/49/.
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