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The Vain Bird

Farid ud-Din Attar, Farid ud-Din Attar poetry, Muslim / Sufi, Muslim / Sufi poetry,  poetry, [TRADITION SUB2] poetry,  poetry by Farid ud-Din Attar
(1120? - 1220?) Timeline

English version by
Raficq Abdulla

Original Language
Persian/Farsi

Muslim / Sufi
12th Century

'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

Amazon.com

 

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 >>

 

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Ivan M. Granger's original poetry, stories and commentaries are Copyright © 2002 - 2011 by Ivan M. Granger.
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