Poetry Chaikhana Sacred Poetry from Around the World

Muslim / Sufi 13th Century	About Yunus Emre Timeline (1238 - 1320)
<<Previous Poem | View All Poems by Yunus Emre | Next Poem >>
English version by Kabir Helminski & Refik Algan Original Language Turkish	True speech is the fruit of not speaking.
Commentary by Ivan M. Granger Themes   Garden   Heart   Lover and Beloved   Pain and Wounding   Water   Recommended Books The Drop That Became the Sea: Lyric Poems of Yunus Emre, Translated by Kabir Helminski / Translated by Refik Algan Music of a Distant Drum: Classical Arabic, Persian, Turkish & Hebrew Poems, Translated by Bernard Lewis Poetry for the Spirit: Poems of Universal Wisdom and Beauty, Edited by Alan Jacobs The Poetry of Yunus Emre: A Turkish Sufi Poet, Translated by Grace Martin Smith Quarreling with God: Mystic Rebel Poems of the Dervishes of Turkey, Translated by Jennifer Ferraro / Translated by Latif Bolat	True speech is the fruit of not speaking. Too much talking clouds the heart. If you want to clear the heart, say this much, the essence of all talking: Speak truly. God speaks through words truly spoken. Falsity ends in pain. Unless you witness all of creation in a single glance, you're in sin even with all your religion. The explanation of the Law is this: The Law is a ship. Truth is her ocean. No matter how strong the wood, the sea can smash the ship. The secret is this: A "saint" of religion may in reality be an unbeliever. We will master this science and read this book of love. God instructs. Love is His school. Since the glance of the saints fell on poor Yunus nothing has been a misfortune.     -- from The Drop That Became the Sea: Lyric Poems of Yunus Emre, Translated by Kabir Helminski / Translated by Refik Algan Amazon.com
<<Previous Poem | View More Poems by Yunus Emre | Next Poem >>

Commentary by Ivan M. Granger

With this song, Yunus Emre gives us a sharply teasing reminder that even if we follow all of the rules of our religious tradition, that's not the same thing as achieving saintliness or holiness.

The secret is this:
A "saint" of religion may in reality be an unbeliever.

This is something fundamentalists of every religion keep stumbling over: Following your religion's ritual, rules, and way of life is a recommended pathway, a spiritual practice; but it is not the goal in itself. The living ocean of truth is the goal. The goal must never be lost in the minutia of the rules. A true believer is someone who merges fully with that divine ocean, however that soul manages to reach the water. Even someone who perfectly lives the life of a "saint", if that person isn't drenched and blissfully drowning, that person is still an unbeliever...

What a wonderful couplet to sums up the mystic's viewpoint:

Unless you witness all of creation in a single glance,
you're in sin even with all your religion.

Ivan M. Granger's original poetry, stories and commentaries are Copyright © 2002 - 2008 by Ivan M. Granger.
All other material is copyrighted by the respective authors, translators and/or publishers.