At the hour of the morning-drink

At the hour of the morning-drink a beloved said to her lover

by way of trial, "O such-and-such son of such-and-such,I wonder, do you love me or yourself more? Tell the truth,O man of sorrows.

"He replied, "I have become so naughted in thee that I am

full of thee from head to foot.

Of my existence there is nothing (left) in me but the name:

in my being there is naught but thee, O thou whose wishes are gratified.

By that means I have become thus naughted, like vinegar, in

thee (who are) an ocean of honey.

"As the stone that is entirely turned into pure ruby: it is filled with the qualities of the sun.

That stony nature does not remain in it:

back and front, it is filled with sunniness.Afterwards, if it love itself, that (self-love) is love of the sun,

O youth;And if it love the sun with (all) its soul, ‘tis undoubtedly love of itself.

Whether the pure ruby loves itself or whether it loves the sun,There is really no difference in these two loves:

both sides(aspects) are naught but the radiance of the sunrise.

Until it (the stone) has become a ruby, it is an enemy to itself,because it is not a single "I"

: two "I’s" are there;For the stone is dark and blind to the day (-light): the dark is essentially opposed to light.

(If) it love itself, it is an infidel, because it offers intenseresistance to the supreme Sun.

Therefore ‘tis not fitting that the stone should say "I," (for)it is wholly darkness and in (the state of) death

.A Pharaoh said, "I am God" and was laid low; a Mansur(Hallaj) said, "I am God" and was saved.The former "I" is followed by God’s curse and the latter"I" by God’s mercy,

O loving man;For that one (Pharaoh) was a black stone, this one (Hallaj) acornelian; that one was an enemy to the Light, and this onepassionately enamoured (of it)

.This "I," O presumptuous meddler, was "He" (God) in the inmostconsciousness, through

oneness with the Light, not through (belief in) the doctrine of incarnation.

Strive that thy stony nature may be diminished, so that thystone may become resplendent with the qualities of the ruby.

Show fortitude in (enduring) self-mortification and affliction;continually behold everlasting life in dying to self.(Then) thy stoniness will become less at every moment,

the nature of the ruby will be strengthened in thee.

The qualities of (self-) existence will depart from thy body,the qualities of intoxication (ecstasy) will increase in thy head (thy spiritual centre).

Become entirely hearing, like an ear, in order that thou maystgain an ear-ring of ruby

remember me

I will be with you in the grave

on the night you leave

behind your shop and your family.

When you hear my soft voice echoing in your tomb,

you will realize that you were never hidden from my eyes.

I am the pure awareness within your heart,

with you during joy and celebration,

suffering and despair.
On that strange and fateful night

you will hear a familar voice --

you'll be rescued from the fangs of snakes

and the searing sting of scorpions.

The euphoria of love will sweep over your grave;

it will bring wine and friends, candles and food.
When the light of realization dawns,

shouting and upheaval will rise up from the graves!

The dust of ages will be stirred by the cities of ecstasy,

by the banging of drums, by the clamor of revolt!
Dead bodies will tear off their shrouds

and stuff their ears in fright--

What use are the senses and the ears before the blast of that Trumpet?
Look and you will see my form

whether you are looking at yourself or toward that noise and confusion.
Don't be blurry-eyed,

See me clearly-

See my beauty without the old eyes of delusion.
Beware! Beware!

Don't mistake me for this human form.

The soul is not obscured by forms.

Even if it were wrapped in a hundred folds

of felt the rays of the soul's light would still shine through.
Beat the drum,Follow the minstrels of the city.

It's a day of renewal

when every young manwalks boldly on the path of love.
Had everyone sought God

Instead of crumbs and copper coins

T'hey would not be sitting

on the edge of the moatin darkness and regret.
What kind of gossip-house

have you opened in our city?

Close your lipsand shine on the world like loving sunlight.
Shine like the Sun of Tabriz

rising in the East.

Shine like the star of victory.

Shine like the whole universe is yours

The Ceremony

Whoever has heard of me,

let him prepare to come and see me;

whoever desires me,

let him search for me.

He will find me -

then let him choose none other than I.

Shamsuddin of Tabrizi