Religion
The Lion of God
Translated by William Hastie, after Rückert's German (1903) · From The Festival of Spring (1903)
Fairest Flower beneath the Skies:
Ali Abutaleb's Son!
Fairest Flower in Paradise:
Ali Abutaleb's Son!
God's brave Lion, lamb-like, gentle,
Clearest Mirror, ever bright:
Pure in Faith, without Disguise:
Ali Abutaleb's Son!
Next the Prophet is thy Place,
All his Splendour flashing round:
Thy bright Light too floods our Eyes:
Ali Abutaleb's Son!
By Renouncing, daring Soul,
And by braving Danger too:
Thou hast won the Hero's Prize:
Ali Abutaleb's Son!
Straight thy Strength of Soul and Limb
Bore thee to the thickest Fight:
Death thy giant Thews despise:
Ali Abutaleb's Son!
All the Paths we tread to-day,
Thou hast traced them, Son of Light!
Let on us thy Beams arise:
Ali Abutaleb's Son!
Leader, Guide, and Champion true,
Ever foremost in the Van:
Where thou leadest, Honour lies:
Ali Abutaleb's Son!
Maulānā, in Hymn of Praise
Thee I laud, Jeláleddín!
Even as thou praisest wise,
Ali Abutaleb's Son!
Cite this poem
MLA
Rumi, Jalal al-Din. “The Lion of God.” Translated by William Hastie, after Rückert's German. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/rumi/77/.
Chicago
Rumi, Jalal al-Din. “The Lion of God.” Translated by William Hastie, after Rückert's German. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/rumi/77/.
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