New translations of the works of the thirteenth-century Sufi poet are included in an inspirational collection of poetry that reveals classic Eastern thought combined with a warm wisdom that transcends the ages. Reprint.
Gathers selections from the Bhagavad Gita, the Tao Te Ching, and the Book of Psalms, as well as from the writings of Buddhist masters, Christian saints, and Sufi poets
My verse resembles the bread of Egypt—night passes over it, and you cannot eat it any more.Devour it the moment it is fresh, before the dust settles upon it.Its place is the warm climate of the heart; in this world it dies of cold.Like a fish it quivered for an instant on dry land, another moment and you see it is cold.Even if you eat it imagining it is fresh, it is necessary to conjure up many images.What you drink is really your own imagination; it is no old tale, my good man.Jalal al-Din Rumi (1207–73), legendary Persian Muslim poet, theologian, and mystic, wrote poems acclaimed through the centuries for their powerful spiritual images and provocative content, which often described Rumi’s love for God in romantic or erotic terms. His vast body of work includes more than three thousand lyrics and odes. This volume includes four hundred poems selected by renowned Rumi scholar A. J. Arberry, who provides here one of the most comprehensive and adept English translations of this enigmatic genius. Mystical Poems is the definitive resource for anyone seeking an introduction to or an enriched understanding of one of the world’s greatest poets. “Rumi is one of the world’s greatest lyrical poets in any language—as well as probably the most accessible and approachable representative of Islamic civilization for Western students.”—James W. Morris, Oberlin College
Traditionally attributed to Lao Tzu, an older contemporary of Confucius (551 - 479 BC), it is now thought that the work was compiled in about the fourth century BC. An anthology of wise sayings, it offers a model by which the individual can live rather than explaining the human place in the universe. The moral code it encourages is based on modesty and self-restraint, and the rewards reaped for such a life are harmony and flow of life. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.