Fariduddin Attar: How Can Sober Reason Understand

How can sober Reason understand
the drunkenness of Love?
How can Reason solve
the mystery of Love?

Reason is like a drop
removed from the ocean;
how can this drop understand
the meaning of Love?

Reason has put many a stitch on it,
but no robe could it sew
to fit the body of Love.

You may hate the two worlds
with all your soul,
yet even then you’ll feel
the warmth of Love.

Since Love is the work of the heart
open the eyes of your heart
and look at the friends,
how drunk they are with Love!

Each being in His love
breathes in His love.
If you are to be annihilated,
then lose yourself in Love!

As Being entered existence
and closed its eyes for a moment
it was overwhelmed
by the tumult of Love.

Since Attar’s heart
Did a ray from the Sun gain,
He started his journey to roam
and arrived in the desert of Love.

Fariduddin Attar
Tr. Mahmood Jamal

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