Who Has Compassion on a Friend but a Friend? – Abdur Rahman’s Corner
Peace, one and all…
A beautiful ghazal by Mevlana.
Who has compassion on a friend but a friend?
Who hears the sighs of the sick but the sick?
Where are the tears of the Compassionate Spring,
That fill the thorn’s skirt with roses?
Listen to the Inevitable Autumn as it cries:
‘Increase your remembrance of the Destroyer of Pleasures’
The cave becomes Paradise when he is in it
The second of the two, when the two were in the cave.
The heavens split at the sigh of the lover;
The lament of lovers is not to be held in contempt.
Heavens swirl for the sake of Lovers
The celestial spheres churn for Love
Not for the baker, nor the blacksmith,
Nor the carpenter, nor the perfumer.
The heavens revolve around Love
Rise, so that we too may join them in whirling.
Behold what was said: “Were it not for thee, I would not have
created…”
Indeed, the quarry of Love is Ahmad, the Chosen One.
For a time, let us circle around Love,
How long shall we revolve around this carrion?
Where is the eye that sees the souls,
Putting their heads out from doors and walls?
Doors and walls speak words of wisdom;
Fire, earth, and water tell stories.
Like the scales, the yardstick, and the touchstone,
They are without speech, yet judges of the market.
Mevlana, Ghazal 1158, trans. EM Sina
