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My first book of Rumi, made me love him and now I have lots of his poetry so I highly recommend this book.
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Almost all the great religions have a mystical side, including Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Zoroastrianism. Gnosticism, Khabalah, the Nagas within Hinduism, Vajrayana Buddhism, Sufism, the Eleusine Mysteries within ancient Greek religion, Hermetism (a fusion of western and eastern mysticism by the third century, A.D., philosopher, Iamblichus), Avesta, Taoism, Confucianism, and even Rosicrucianism and Freemasonry all had mystical sides.
Sufism is one of the mystical traditions within Islam, of which there are a number not well known in the west. Rumi is one of the greats in that tradition, and one of the few eastern poets I've read (such as Omar Khayam) and there is no doubt he is one of the greatest poets of all time, whether western or eastern. I enjoy Rumi's poems but have to agree with a reviewer that the translations may not be the best since the author admits he knew no Persian, and Sufis are quite definite on the point that their poems are very precise and even technical in their wording and phraseology. As I'm not an expert I'll leave the final opinion on this book to the experts and those more knowledgable than I. Fortunately, as there are other translations you should also try one of those and compare those renderings with this book. But whichever way you decide to go, Rumi should be essential reading for anyone wishing to expand their literary and intellectual horizons beyond the "usual suspects."
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"Come to the orchard in Spring.
There is light and wine, and sweethearts
in the pomegranate flowers.
If you do not come, these do not matter.
If you do come, these do not matter."
With amazing economy of words and with a deep understanding of his art, the luminary Persian poet, jurist, and theologian Jalal Rumi takes us on a profound and deeply moving journey into the mind of the spirit.
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Coleman Barks crafts scintillating translations of Rumi's ecstatic, poetic prayers. Speaking directly to the modern heart across centuries, Rumi captures the most poignant and mystical ways we seek to commune with a vast and unknowable creator who is at the same time an intimate companion, a friend. Wonderful prayers, poetry and parables bring Rumi's world to life, and enliven this life, injecting joyful surprise into the eternal mysteries.
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As a lover of Rumi with many friends similarly smitten with him, I hear many opinions about which Rumi book is "the best". One criticism of this Barks translation is that it is a translation of a translation, not direct from the original Persian; but a Persian friend maintains that the feeling Barks gives is the truest to the original that my Persian friend has found. For me, this is the best because of that feeling, and also because of the breadth and depth - including the sheer number - of poems translated. For me Rumi is more teacher than entertainer; and for a practical, day to day study of his work, I know no better book than this.
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