LEARN PERSIAN FOR FREE: persianpoetics.com/courses/s…
New York City
- Tweets 2,420
- Following 2
- Followers 87,180
- Likes 940
Pinned Tweet
Thread: The Orientalizing of Moulana Rumi
Many of you may be familiar with the 'Rumi quotes' that circulate the internet. What if I told you the vast majority of them are fake and they are part of a project to secularize Rumi? This isn't a whatsapp conspiracy.
672
17,451
39,870
In Persian 'I miss you' is 'delam barāyat tang shodeh' which means 'your absence constricts my heart.'
107
3,271
20,111
In Persian 'I miss you' is 'delam barāyat tang shodeh' which means 'your absence constricts my heart.'
102
2,785
19,284
‘I miss you’ in Persian is ‘dilam barāyat tang shuda’ meaning, ‘your absence constricts my heart.’
55
3,091
14,405
Compare my mostly literal translation with Coleman's 'translation.' My heart aches for those who only know Moulana Rumi via this orientalist garbage masquerading as a translation.
68
2,272
6,897
In Persian, 'Wish you were here' is 'jāy-e shomā khālīst' which means 'your place is empty.'
36
922
6,943
‘Wish you were here’ in Persian is ‘jāy-e shumā khālīst’ meaning ‘your place is empty.’
63
1,121
6,950
Meet Coleman Barks, the man responsible for nearly every 'Rumi quote' you've seen. Coleman hasn't studied Islam, Sufism, or Persian in academia or traditional settings, he doesn't even know Persian! But that didn't stop him from writing over a dozen translation books!
34
1,172
4,308
Take this second poem. All of the Islam is removed to the point where the poem is almost meaningless. 'Home' (dargah) in Persian is unnecessarily translated as 'caravan'. This divergence from the original exposes the orientalist mindset of these 'translators.'
34
1,007
4,344
But let's go back to the quote I mentioned earlier. I've found the original Persian text (that Coleman can't even read) and translated it into English. Notice anything?
20
681
3,302
To help us de-construct orientalist narratives and accurately translate Persian poetry, please support us at patreon.com/persianpoetics and find us on insta instagram.com/persianpoetics
19
650
3,282
In Persian, the difference between 'mercy' and 'difficulty' is a single dot: 'rahmat' (رحمت) versus 'zahmat' (زحمت).
If you're feeling pain, remember that relief isn't far away.
23
804
3,266
In English we suddenly 'fall in love,' but in Persian love comes in stages: First the 'havā' (infatuation) of youth, then the 'dūstī' (affectionate love) of a couple, followed by the 'eshq' (passionate love) of newlyweds, and finally the 'mohabat,' (caring love) of an old couple.
22
598
3,252
“I see a type of ‘spiritual colonialism’ at work here: bypassing, erasing, and occupying a spiritual landscape that has been lived...by Muslims from Bosnia and Istanbul to Konya and Iran to Central and South Asia.” a gem from an actual real Rumi scholar, @ostadjaan
13
536
2,707
In English, we unexpectedly 'fall' in love, but in Persian, love has stages:
First the 'havā' (infatuation) of youth,
then the 'dūstī' (affectionate love) of a couple,
followed by 'eshq' (passionate love) of newlyweds,
and finally the 'mohabbat,' (caring love) of an old couple.
18
567
2,783
Ivanka Trump, the daughter of the most Islamophobic president in US history, tweeted it out after her dad failed to make peace in Afghanistan. If Rumi were alive today, her dad wouldn't even allow him in the country. The irony.
21
294
2,539
‘Spouse’ in Persian is ‘ham-sar’ meaning ‘equals in authority, rank’ from the words ‘same’ and ‘head.’
10
412
2,661
‘Poem’ in Persian is ‘she‘r,’ شعر from an Arabic root that means ‘to feel,’ and ‘to be conscious.’
17
409
2,491
In Persian, 'the feeling is mutual' is 'del beh del rāh dārad' literally meaning: 'hearts have a path to one another.'
16
553
2,393
A Persian word for 'beautiful' or 'enchanting' is 'del-āvīz' which means 'heart-hanger' or 'something the heart hangs onto.'
15
455
2,436
Persian love has stages:
—Hawā: Infatuation.
Hawā also means air. Love is in the air.
—Shawq: Yearning desire.
—ʿAlāqa: Interest, the start of love.
—Dostī, Yārī, Ulfat: Friendly love.
—Maḥabbat, Mihr: Caring love.
—ʿIshq: Burning love.
—Junūn, Dewānagī: Madness.
22
383
2,175
274,291
In a country where poetry books struggle to sell even a few thousand copies, Barks has sold over five hundred thousand, literally making millions from Moulana Rumi's writings.
9
266
2,095
‘Seersucker’ comes from Persian ‘shīr o shikar’ (milk and sugar).
The name alludes to the smooth (milk) and rough (sugar) texture of the fabric.
16
282
2,073
220,676
Where is this quote from? It's from 'The Essential Rumi' probably the best selling poetry book in America, written by Coleman Barks who has made his career peddling Rumi 'translations.'
17
256
2,019
Persians call Rumi's Masnavi, "The Qu'ran in Persian." It's a storybook that embodies the spirit of the Qu'ran in simple, rhyming Persian for the non-Arabic speaking masses. One cannot understand the Masnavi w/o the Qu'ran, but alas “The Koran is hard to read.” remarks Barks.
8
304
2,001
English ‘paradise’ comes from the Persian ‘pardīs’ meaning ‘walled garden.’
The Shāzda garden of Mahān, Iran looks like paradise compared to the surrounding desert.
12
356
2,068
132,724
In Persian empathy is 'ham-dardī' meaning 'feeling the same pain' and sympathy is 'ham-delī' meaning 'having the same heart.'
20
459
2,074
'Wish you were here' in Persian is 'jāy-e shomā khālīst' which means 'your place is empty.'
12
433
1,971
Happy #Nowruz!
Did you know that March 20th marks the start of Spring and a new year for millions around the world?
Click to see how this ancient Iranic celebration is observed ⬇️
21
516
1,936
In Persian, there are two words for the heart: 'qalb' قلب for the organ, and 'del' دل for your emotions.
16
320
1,937
'I miss you' in Persian is 'delam barāyat tang shodeh' which means 'my heart is constricted for you.'
21
356
1,761
You circle the Kaʿba
a thousand times,
but God won’t accept it
if you hurt
a heart.
—Rumi, translated by @sharghzadeh
4
404
1,767
152,842
Remember when I said he has no formal qualification? Scratch that, he was actually given an honorary doctorate by the University of Tehran (Iran's premier university) for all of his... scholarship... right. With friends like this, who needs enemies!
6
168
1,633
After three decades of 'translating' Moulana Rumi, Barks managed to establish himself as a scholar. Here he is giving a Ted talk about his 'translations.'
8
166
1,610
Instead of 'you're welcome' Persian speakers say, 'khāhesh mīkonam' which means, 'I beg [you not to thank me].'
18
258
1,638
'Wish you were here' in Persian is 'jāy-e shomā khālīst' which means 'your place is empty.'
11
372
1,604
"There is no illness like the illness of the heart."
-Mawlana Rumi, spotted in the Tehran metro.
8
276
1,527
Persian is a gender-neutral language.
In place of he or she, there is a neutral “ū” (او).
Persians say “humankind” (bashariyat, بشریت) not “mankind.”
When speaking of men and women, Persian speakers mention women first. (1/4)
14
277
1,432
Persian speakers call someone very special 'nūr-e chashm' which means 'light of my eyes.'
32
253
1,438
In Persian, 'sacrifice' is 'qorban' قربان from 'qorb' قرب meaning 'closeness,' as sacrifice brings one closer to God.
16
236
1,392
“I looked and there is no
soulmate down here,
from now I look for
my friend in the sky.”
-Mawlana Rumi
4
203
1,288
The words 'dīvāneh' دیوانه and 'majnūn' مجنون both mean 'crazy' but they also mean 'in love.'
14
211
1,289
In English, we say we’re ‘broke,’ as if something is fundamentally wrong with us.
Persians say: ‘My wings are tied’ (bāl o param basta ast).
There is nothing wrong with a poor person, they are only restricted by their circumstances.
9
266
1,259
🧵 Tomorrow night is ‘Shab-e Yaldā,’ the longest and darkest night of the year!
Iranic peoples spend the night in celebration - but why is the winter solstice important to them? (1/8)
10
310
1,273
Persian speakers tell someone dear ‘qorbānat beravam’ قربانت بروم which means ‘I hope to die for you.’
19
175
1,246
🧵 Nowruz Mubarak! Did you know that today marks the start of Spring and a new year for millions of people across dozens of countries? Read more to see how this ancient Iranic celebration is observed across the world ⬇️
25
286
1,176
‘Wish you were here’ in Persian is ‘jāt khālīst’ or ‘your place is empty.’
Tag someone whose place is empty :)
14
171
1,155
In Persian poetry, the heart has its own intellect: 'hūsh-e del' هوش دل that is often impaired by love.
10
163
1,089
He's not any country's Rumi, he's just Rumi. He was a 13th century mystic - modern nationalism is meaningless to his poetry.
7
40
1,029
'Spouse' in Persian is 'ham-sar' meaning 'equals in authority, rank' from the words 'same' and 'head.'
15
188
1,067
When Persian speakers finish eating they tell the cook, ‘dastat dard nakonad’ (May your hand not hurt [from cooking]) and the cook replies, ‘nūsh-e jānat’ (May [the food] nourish your soul).
13
191
1,025
Happy #Nowruz !
Did you know that March 20th marks the start of Spring and a new year for millions around the world?
Click to see how this ancient Iranic celebration is observed ⬇️
12
280
1,001
118,557
English speakers unexpectedly 'fall' in love, but Persian describes love in stages:
First the 'havā' (infatuation) of youth, then the 'dūstī' (affectionate love) of a couple, the 'eshq' (passionate love) of newlyweds, and finally the 'mohabbat,' (caring love) of an old couple.
9
226
1,001
‘Khorāsān’ خراسان comes from ‘khwar’ خور (sun) and ‘āsān’ آسان (rising) meaning ‘Where the sun rises.’
14
143
1,005
“Wherever you place
your feet
I secretly go there
and set my eyes
on your footsteps.”
—Rumi
3
148
935
84,946
The verb 'To love' in Persian (dust dāshtan) literally means 'To have as a friend,' showing how intimate friendship is for Persianate peoples.
10
170
891
The Persian word for 'intimate' or 'companion' is 'ham-dam' meaning 'one you share a breath with' or 'one you breathe with.'
16
160
884
Rumi, Hafez, and other Persian poets often called the sky 'the azure-colored dome' (gunbad-i mīnā).
8
100
858
If someone is very dear, a Persian speaker calls them 'tāj-e saram' meaning 'crown on my head.'
10
134
858
When Persian speakers like something very much, they call it 'del-neshīn' which literally means it 'dwells in the heart.'
13
141
866
