Religion

Identity

by Jalal al-Din Rumi 1207–1273

Translated by William Hastie, after Rückert's German (1903) · From The Festival of Spring (1903)

Religion

Although thy Brightness glistens in the Sun, indeed;
Yet is my Light with thine all radiant, One, indeed!
Thou mad'st of Dust all glitt'ring the circling Heavens above;
Yet will with mine thy Spirit ne'er Union shun, indeed!
To Dust return the Heavens; again Heavens spring from Dust;
Yet hast thou in my Being thy own Life spun, indeed!
Now have the Words Eternal that through Heaven's vastness ring,
Found Home in human Bosom, and dearer none, indeed!
Thou hast the Sunbeams hidden, that in the Diamond glow,
Deep, deep in Earth's dark Chambers, a Wonder done, indeed!
See, though in vile Soil feeding, and drinking filthy slime,
To yon Rose peerless Beauty, in Love, hath run, indeed!
O Heart, and be it thou swimmest in Flood, or glow'st in Fire,
The same are Fire and Flood: Be pure, my Son, indeed!
O MEVLANA, at Morning I woke, and found with thee,
My Eyes from Tears all brighten'd, and Heaven now won, indeed!

MLA

Rumi, Jalal al-Din. “Identity.” Translated by William Hastie, after Rückert's German. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/rumi/58/.

Chicago

Rumi, Jalal al-Din. “Identity.” Translated by William Hastie, after Rückert's German. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/rumi/58/.

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