Quatrain 97 from Rubaiyat of Rumi
خواب آمد و در چشم نبد موضع خوابزیرا ز تو چشم بود پرآتش و آب
شد جانب دل دید دلی چون سیمابشد جانب تن دید خراب و چه خراب
Description:
English Translation of the Quatrain
Sleep came, but there was no place for sleep in my eyes,
For my eyes were filled with fire and water from your love.
I turned to my heart, and saw a heart like mercury,
I turned to my body, and saw it ruined and utterly destroyed.
Analysis of the Quatrains
Insomnia due to Love: The poet's inability to sleep is directly attributed to the intense emotions and thoughts caused by love.
The Heart and Body's State: The heart, being the seat of emotions, is compared to mercury, symbolizing its fluid and unstable state due to love. The body, on the other hand, is described as "ruined," indicating the physical and emotional toll of intense love.
The Power of Love: The quatrain highlights the transformative power of love, capable of altering both the emotional and physical state of an individual.
Deeper Meanings
This quatrain, like much of Rumi's poetry, can be interpreted on multiple levels:
Mystical Union: The poet's experience can be seen as a metaphor for the intense longing and spiritual turmoil experienced on the path towards divine union.
The Paradox of Love: Love is often portrayed as both a source of joy and pain, and this quatrain captures that paradox.
The Body and Soul: The distinction between the heart and body highlights the dual nature of human experience, with the heart representing the spiritual and the body the physical.