Quatrain 155 from Rubaiyat of Rumi
By
@hamed
|
23
2
از دیدن اغیار چو ما را مدد است
پس فرد نهایم و کار ما در عدد است
از نیک و بد آگهیم و این نیک و بد است
هردل که نه بیخود است زیر لگد است
Description:
English Translation of the Quatrain
Since from seeing strangers we receive assistance,
Then we are not alone, and our work is within a number (or calculation).
We are aware of good and evil, and this is good and evil.
Every heart that is not selfless (or beside itself) is underfoot.
Analysis of the Quatrain
Seeing Strangers/Others (اغیار): This doesn't necessarily mean literal strangers. In a mystical context, it can refer to anything that distracts from the divine or the true self, such as worldly attachments or ego. The line suggests that even these distractions can paradoxically be a source of help or guidance.
Not Alone/Within a Number (فرد نهایم و کار ما در عدد است): This implies a sense of belonging to something larger than oneself, a collective or a divine plan. "In a number" can also mean "within a calculation" or "part of a divine order."
Aware of Good and Evil (از نیک و بد آگهیم): This line acknowledges the duality of existence.
Not Selfless/Underfoot (بیخود/زیر لگد): This is a key concept in Sufism. "بیخود" (be-khod) literally means "without self" or "beside oneself," referring to a state of self-annihilation or losing oneself in the divine. The line suggests that hearts attached to the ego ("not selfless") are subject to the tribulations of the world ("underfoot").
Deeper Meanings and Interpretations
This quatrain can be understood in several ways:
The Path to Selflessness: The quatrain describes a path towards spiritual growth, where even distractions can serve as lessons, leading to selflessness and union with the divine.
Interconnectedness and Divine Order: The idea that "we are not alone" suggests a deep interconnectedness between all beings and a divinely ordained plan.
Transcending Duality: While acknowledging good and evil, the poem implies that true liberation lies in transcending this duality through selflessness.
The Danger of Ego: The final line warns against the dangers of ego-attachment, stating that hearts clinging to the self are vulnerable to suffering.