Ah, once more he put a fire in me,
And once more this crazy heart
is craving the open plains.
This ocean of love breaks into another wave
And blood pours from my heart
in all directions.
Ah, one spark flew
and burned the house of my heart.
Smoke filled the sky.
The flames grew fierce in the wind.
The fire of the heart is not easily lit.
So don’t cry out: “O Lord, rescue me
from the burning flames!
Spare me from the army of thoughts
that is marching through my mind!”
O Heart of Pure Consciousness,
You are the ruler of all hearts.
After countless ages
you brought my soul
all it ever wished for.
The eyes of all people happy and sad,
are closed to the truth.
May their eyes be opened!
May they look upon God
and get drunk on His beauty.
May their hands reach toward the Truth.
May their ears hear the voice of the Beloved.
May the shadow of a Master
fall upon everyone who has devotion.
All the world praises you,
But where did this “you” come from?
All the universe is born of Love
But where did this Love come from?
O Shams,
you are the owner of the land of life
the light of every heart;
Even the King of Love
knows no love
that is not yours.
— Rumi
Version by Jonathan Star
“A Garden Beyond Paradise: The Mystical Poetry of Rumi”
Bantam Books, 1992
