The veils hiding the way of the lover
Love is a stranger to the two worlds:
in it are seventy-two madnesses.
It is hidden; only its bewilderment is manifest:
the soul of the spiritual sultan longs for it.
Love's religion is other than the seventy-two sects:
beside it the throne of kings is just a floorboard.
In the moments of sema* Love's bard strikes up the melody:
"Servitude is bondage and power is a headache."
Then what is Love?
The Sea of Not-Being:
there the foot of the intellect is shattered and can no longer swim.
Servitude and sovereignty are known:
the way of the lover is hidden by these two veils.
Mathnawi III: 4719-4724
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance
Threshold Books, 1996
*The occasion of listening to spiritual music.
Tanya Sama Itu Hud-Hud
Tujuh puluh tiga pintu
Tujuh puluh tiga jalan
Yang sampai hanya satu jalan
Beribu-ribu Margasatua
Mencari raja si Muraq
Yang sampai hanya tiga puluh
Dalam kalut ada peraturan
Peraturan mencipta kekalutan
Di mana pula kau berdiri
Di sini
M. NASIR
