This being human is a guest house.Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness,some momentary awareness comesAs an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all!Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,who violently sweep your houseempty of its furniture,still treat each guest honorably.He may be clearing you outfor some new delight. The dark

Lord, said David, since you do not need us,why did you create these two worlds? Reality replied: O prisoner of time,I was a secret treasure of kindness and generosity,and I wished this treasure to be known,so I created a mirror: its shining face, the heart;its darkened back, the world;The back would please you if you’ve

At the twilight, a moon appeared in the sky;Then it landed on earth to look at me. Like a hawk stealing a bird at the time of prey;That moon stole me and rushed back into the sky. I looked at myself, I did not see me anymore;For in that moon, my body turned as fine

Any lifetime that is spent without seeing the masterIs either death in disguise or a deep sleep.The water that pollutes you is poison;The poison that purifies you is water.

Bring wine, for I am suffering crop sickness from the vintage;God has seized me, and I am thus held fast.By love’s soul, bring me a cup of wine that is the envy of thesun, for I care aught but love.Bring that which if I were to call it “soul” would be a shame,for the reason

I have a fire for you in my mouth, but I have a hundred sealson my tongue.The flames which I have in my heart would make one mouth-ful of both worlds.Though the entire world should pass away, without the worldI possess the kingdom of a hundred worlds.Caravans which are loaded with sugar I have in

I closed my eyes to creation when I beheld his beauty, I becameintoxicated with his beauty and bestowed my soul.For the sake of Solomon’s seal I became wax in all my body,and in order to become illumined I rubbed my wax.I saw his opinion and cast away my own twisted opinion; Ibecame his reed pipe

A true lover is proved such by his pain of heart;No sickness is there like sickness of heart.The lover’s ailment is different from all ailments;Love is the astrolabe of God’s mysteries.A lover may hanker after this love or that love,But at the last he is drawn to the KING of love.However much we describe and

Rise, lovers, that we may go towards heaven; we have seen this world, so let us go to that world.No, no, for thought these two gardens are beautiful and fair, let us pass beyond these two, and go to that Gardener.Let us go prostrating to the sea like a torrent, then let us go foaming

A lover asked his beloved,Do you love yourself morethan you love me?The beloved replied,I have died to myselfand I live for you. I’ve disappeared from myselfand my attributes.I am present only for you.I have forgotten all my learning,but from knowing youI have become a scholar. I have lost all my strength,but from your powerI am