Quatrain 38 from Rubaiyat of Rumi
تا کی باشی ز دور نظارهٔ ماما چارهگریم و عشق بیچاره ما
جان کیست کمینه طفل گهوارهٔ مادل کیست یکی غریب آوارهٔ ما
Description:
English Translation of the Quatrain
How long will you continue to gaze at us from afar?
We are helpless, and so is our love.
Who is this life, this insignificant child in our cradle?
And who is this heart, this lonely wanderer of ours?
Analysis of the Quatrains
Longing for Union: The first line expresses the speaker's longing for a closer connection with the beloved, who is seemingly distant.
Helplessness of Love: The speaker acknowledges the powerlessness of love and the lover. The phrase "we are helpless" suggests a sense of resignation or acceptance of their situation.
The Fragility of Life: The comparison of life to a "child in a cradle" emphasizes its fragility and impermanence.
The Lonely Heart: The heart is portrayed as a lonely wanderer, suggesting a sense of isolation and detachment.
Deeper Meanings
This quatrain, like much of Rumi's poetry, can be interpreted on multiple levels:
Spiritual Journey: The poem could be seen as a reflection on the spiritual journey, where the soul longs for union with the divine.
The Nature of Love: The quatrain explores the complexities of human love, its powerlessness, and the suffering it often brings.
The Fragility of Existence: The speaker's questions about life and heart highlight the fleeting nature of existence and the human condition.