Yunes Emre: True speech
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Photo: Bedouin woman, Egypt; ca. 1923.
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True speech is the fruit of not speaking.
Too much talking clouds the heart.
If you want to clear the heart,
say this much, the essence of all talking:
Speak truly. God speaks through words truly spoken.
Falsity ends in pain.
Unless you witness all of creation in a single glance,
you're in sin even with all your religion.
The explanation of the Law is this:
The Law is a ship. Truth is her ocean.
No matter how strong the wood,
the sea can smash the ship.
The secret is this:
A "saint" of religion may in reality be an unbeliever.
We will master this science and read this book of love.
God instructs. Love is His school.
Since the glance of the saints fell on poor Yunus
nothing has been a misfortune.
(Yunes Emre)
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Source and Recommended Reading:
'The Drop That Became the Sea: Lyric Poems'
By Yunus Emre (Author), Kabir Helminski (Author), Refik Algan (Author)
Purchase Book:
Amazon.com
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Description:
This collection of poems introduces a general readership to Yunus Emre (1240-1321), called the "greatest folk poet in Islam" An unlettered Turkish shepherd who sang mystical songs that are still popular today, he was the first in a great tradition of Turkish Sufi troubadours who celebrated the Divine Presence as the intimate Beloved and Friend. Yunus's verse conveys the spirit and philosophy of Islamic mysticism in simple, earthy language.
'The songs that sing to us from these pages are fresh and simpleand as deep as the Sea itself. What better to say of a book than it came when it was needed.'
(Impressions)
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