Rumi: Ship Sunk in Love

Mawlana Rumi

Should Love's heart rejoice unless I burn?
For my heart is Love's dwelling.
If You will burn Your house, burn it, Love!
Who will say, 'It's not allowed'?
Burn this house thoroughly!
The lover's house improves with fire.
From now on I will make burning my aim,
From now on I will make burning my aim,
for I am like the candle: burning only makes me brighter.
Abandon sleep tonight; traverse fro one night
the region of the sleepless.
Look upon these lovers who have become distraught
and like moths have died in union with the One Beloved.
Look upon this ship of God's creatures
and see how it is sunk in Love.

Mathnawi VI, 617-623
The Rumi Collection, Edited by Kabir Helminski

The Last Nights - We Have A Distant Journey, and Few Provisions

A reminder from Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (tr. Sh. Musa Furber)

The wife of Habib Abu Muhammad a student of al-Hasn al-Basri would say to him at night: The night has departed. We have a distant journey ahead of us and few provisions. The caravans of the Righteous have traveled before us while we remained behind:

O, you who sleep at night: how long do you slumber?
Arise my love, the appointment has approached.
Take part of the night and of its duration
[for] worship so long as the slumberers have not dozed. Whoever slept til his night has ended
has not reached the camp nor endeavored.
Tell those with minds, endowed with god-fearing,
for you the heavy weight of examination is appointed.

The Ship Sunk in Love

Mawlana Rumi

Should Love's heart rejoice unless I burn?
For my heart is Love's dwelling.
If You will burn Your house, burn it, Love!
Who will say, 'It's not allowed'?
Burn this house thoroughly!
The lover's house improves with fire.
From now on I will make burning my aim,
From now on I will make burning my aim,
for I am like the candle: burning only makes me brighter.
Abandon sleep tonight; traverse fro one night
the region of the sleepless.
Look upon these lovers who have become distraught
and like moths have died in union with the One Beloved.
Look upon this ship of God's creatures
and see how it is sunk in Love.

Mathnawi VI, 617-623
The Rumi Collection, Edited by Kabir Helminski