Wednesday 29 June 2011

The body is like a Love letter:...by Rumi

The body is like a Love letter:
Look into it and see whether
it's worthy to be read by the Beloved..!

Go into a corner,
open the letter,
and read what is in it,

See whether its words are
suitable for royalty.

If it isn't suitable, tear it to pieces,
write another letter,
and remedy the fault.

But don't think it's easy to open
the letter of the body;

Otherwise everyone would readily
discover the secret of the heart.

How difficult it is to open that letter!
It's only for the strong,
not for those playing games..!

~ Rumi
-- Mathnawi, IV:1564-1568
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"
Threshold Books, 1996

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