There Should be ...

There Should be. . .

A Ghazel (#3144) by RUMI

Translated by Helminski & Rizwani

There should be a shore to our ocean,
There should be some rest on this journey.

The lion of the forest is in chains,
Lions should be out there in the meadows.

Fish are throbbing on the sands,
There should be a way to the river.

The intoxicated nightingale is dead drunk,
She should be singing in a rose garden and a verdant meadow.

Vision is tired of this dust,
There should be new lessons for our eyes.

And for each of these children eating mud,
There should be a kind foster mother.

The way is lost toward the life-giving water,
There should be Khidr to discover a Fountain of Life.

The heart is in remorse for what has passed,
This new year's heart should be happy with the last year.

There is a scarcity of Sun in this city,
We should see the shadows cast by the Divine Sun.

The town has become packed with dung worshippers,
There should be musk from the musk deer of Tartary.

No one discerns the musk from the dung,
Some musk should be spread around.

Too many seek for childish dominion,
There should be an unwavering Dominion.

As long as death is in ambush, day is like night;
There should be a real day to our night.

When you die, this artistry of yours will die too,
You should be ashamed of these arts of yours.

If we are clutched by the hands of this banal world,
We should take the hands of our Beloved, instead.

Profit seekers are far too many,
There should be seekers of God Almighty.

There are only a limited number of breaths left;
There should be infinite Breath.
The Breath of God from Yemen Should be blowing over all creatures.

Death is tending a cauldron for us,
That stew should be palatable to us.

Since remembering death averts death,
At every moment there should be this remembrance.

Any moment hundreds of biers may pass by,
The eyes should be contrite.

The kingdoms decayed and the kings are gone,
There should be an everlasting Kingdom.

Intelligence was chained and vanity unloosed,
But intelligence should have the right to choose. . .

Ears are closed, so close the lips,
There should be earrings fashioned from wisdom.
And for the metaphors of Shams of Tabriz
There should be an interpretation beyond all concepts.

Notes:
There is a myth that says Khidr and Alexander set out in search of the Water of Life but of the two only Khidr managed to find the Fountain and drink from it.

Referring to the hadith related from the Holy Prophet as saying, "I perceive the Breath of the Merciful from Yemen." [Meaning the presence of Uways Qarani there.]