Quatrain 5 from Rubaiyat of Rumi

By hamed @hamed | 4 3

آن وقت که بحر کل شود ذات مراروشن گردد جمال ذرات مرا


زان می‌سوزم چو شمع تا در ره عشقیک وقت شود جمله اوقات مرا


Description:

English Translation:

When the entire ocean becomes my essence
The beauty of my particles will become clear

For this reason, I burn like a candle, so that on the path of love
All my moments may become one

"When the entire ocean becomes my essence": This line suggests a state of complete unity with the divine, where the individual self merges with the cosmic consciousness.

The beauty of my particles will become clear": This implies that when one achieves this state of unity, the true nature and beauty of their existence will be fully revealed.

For this reason, I burn like a candle, so that on the path of love": Here, Rumi compares himself to a candle, suggesting a selfless devotion to love. The burning indicates a spiritual yearning and sacrifice.

All my moments may become one": This line implies a desire for a timeless state of being, where the boundaries of time and space dissolve.


hamed
@hamed Oct. 22, 2024, 4:58 a.m.

Interpreting the Quatrain

This quatrain speaks of the mystic's journey towards divine union. The "ocean" symbolizes the infinite and the divine, while the "particles" represent individual beings. Rumi expresses a desire to merge completely with the divine, so that his true essence and beauty may be fully revealed.

hamed
@hamed Oct. 22, 2024, 4:58 a.m.

Key Themes:

Unity with the divine: The central theme is the longing for a state of complete oneness with God.
Self-sacrifice: The image of a burning candle suggests a willingness to sacrifice oneself for a higher purpose.
Timelessness: The desire for all moments to become one points towards a state of eternal being.

hamed
@hamed Oct. 22, 2024, 4:58 a.m.

A more poetic translation might be:

When all the seas become my very soul,
My being's beauty will unfold.
As a candle burns, so do I strive,
For love to unify my life.