jewels of remembrance

From Jalaluddin Rumi

When you say, "I'm ignorant : teach me,"
Such honesty is better than a false reputation.
Learn from your father Adam, O clear-browed man :
He said, " O our Lord" and "We have done wrong."
He made no excuses, nor did he invented lies,
Nor did he lift up the banner of evasion.


Day and night there is movement of foam on the Sea.
You see the foam, but not the Sea. Amazing!
We are dashing against each other like boats:

Our eyes are darkened though we are in clear water.
O you who have gone to sleep in the body’s boat,
You’ve seen the water,
But look at the Water of the water.
The water has a Water that is driving it;
The spirit has a spirit that is calling it.


Listen, stand up in prayer during the night,
For you are a candle,
And at night a candle stands and burns.

.... Mathnawi III 1272-1274

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