[zeroca]

Originally Posted by socratus Who am I ?

It was really coincidence!
I intended to publish this poetry on another thread, it’s Jalal ad-din Rumi’s (great Persian poet of 12-th century) poetry; when just finished translating from Georgian, read your thread:
The poetry can be called tell me who am I, the first part of poetry is about god, complete nothingness, the second part - about the way for person to seek it (about meditation, but only of transcendental sort, of transcendental kind, and finally - joining to eternity), i.e. to drink - means to meditate, Adam and Eva, I think, is figurative meaning of plus and minus generally, “Shams Tabriz” - means the sun of Tabriz (Tabriz was the historical place in Iran) and Shams Tabriz was mendicant dervish, who taught the poet how to meditate and how to fall into trance, and almost all his poetry are written down by his pupils, who were listening to poet, who being in trance conveyed them.
I couldn’t find where Bolghar’s valley was (i.e. to which hysterical place the poet was referring to, so left it as it was). The main idea and rhythm is preserved…

Enjoy reading, if it’s worth…

Translation from Persian into Georgian
by
Mr. Magali Todua,
from Georgian into English by me


Do thrust in heaven? Eh my friend kind,
Who am I? Please solve confusing mine…
I’m not Muslim with heart my trusting,
Nor on Christians’ trip I’m residing,
I am not eastern, I do remember,
And I’m not Western, heaven me sain!
Nor marine navel is my origin,
Nor this dry land - hilly terrain,
Nor live in water, nor based on soil,
Nor sparkle in fire, nor sound in gale,
In whatever thing of any forming,
Of whatever sort, whatever kind,
I did not come from Indians’ mountains,
And never passed the bolghars’ valley,
I’m not Chinese, nor from Chorasan,
And I’m not dweller Iraqi’s sidings,
Nor of that Eden’s hope is feeding me,
Nor of the Hades’ ringing scaring,
I am not Adam, and I’m not Eva,
Nor their heaven for me is charming.
Abode of mine? It is nowhere,
And everywhere my empire is,
Nor simple sign is portraying me,
But eternity for me shining…
-That duality I left forever,
Which enforced my daily carving,
I’m seeking single, I’m searching unique,
And my speech only for it is starving.
It is the first and it is the final,
It is the supreme defensive barring,
Only was found worth among others,
And harp my, only for it is prizing.
Yes, I’m not trusting in that paradise,
And this world for me – really trifling,
Drunken with caress I joined beggars,
So far I favor this way of liking;
Love inspired me with balmy breathing,
Dew-drops heavenly over me tiling,
And I prefer to live with sympathy,
Than be piled up without loving,
Strange kind of nestling I turned into,
Within egg – split-less I’m flying, tired
Why are thoroughly in slush we mired,
I, my family my tribe – entire?

- Shams Tabriz! I am drunken heavily,
I drank as though I were whale,
So I’ll begin to linger about,
In order, to fall somewhere faint...