Poetry Chaikhana
Sacred Poetry from Around the World

Muslim / Sufi

12th Century

About Farid ud-Din Attar

Timeline (1120? - 1220?)

Farid ud-Din Attar, Farid ud-Din Attar poetry, Muslim / Sufi, Muslim / Sufi poetry, poetry, [TRADITION SUB2] poetry, poetry

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English version by
Raficq Abdulla

Original Language
Persian/Farsi

The Vain Bird

Note

Themes

Birds

Fire

Heart

Night

Recommended Books

	The Conference of the Birds, Translated by Afkham Darbandi / Translated by Dick Davis
	Conference of the Birds: A Seeker's Journey to God, Translated by Rustom Pestonji Masani
	The Conference of the Birds: The Selected Sufi Poetry of Farid ud-Din Attar, Translated by Raficq Abdulla
	The Drunken Universe: An Anthology of Persian Sufi Poetry, Translated by Peter Lamborn Wilson / Translated by Nasrollah Pourjavady
	The Hand of Poetry: Five Mystic Poets of Persia, with Lectures by Inayat Khan, Translated by Coleman Barks

More >>

'You see I am vanity personified,
Iblis watches over me night and day
Thus I'm prescribed by him without a guide.
I am torn self from self, I can't find the Way.
I'm a finger of the Devil's pride.
I cannot resist, I am the Devil tried.'
The hoopoe hears the sixth bird out
and says: 'You're meat for the dog of desire.
The Devil's fool you are, no matter how you shout
Your avowals to start again. The devil you acquires
With vain conceits that steadily eat your soul
As worms quilt the body's fodder which is your end.
Unless you realize in heart and mind that as you are
You're the Devil's coal ready to burn to ash. No friend
Is he who seems to satisfy your whims, you're far
From the Way you wish to travel or so you say;
Reject the world's blandishments that spin you astray.'

-- from The Conference of the Birds: The Selected Sufi Poetry of Farid ud-Din Attar, Translated by Raficq Abdulla

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Note

Iblis = the Devil

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Poetry Chaikhana Sacred Poetry from Around the World

About Farid ud-Din Attar

Poetry Chaikhana
Sacred Poetry from Around the World