This Will Not Win Him -- Jalaluddin Rumi 

Guest poem sent in by Seema Pai
(Poem #1238) This Will Not Win Him 
 Reason says,
 I will win him with my eloquence.

 Love says,
 I will win him with my silence.

 Soul says,
 How can I ever win him
 When all I have is already his?

 He does not want, he does not worry,
 He does not seek a sublime state of euphoria -
 How then can I win him
 With sweet wine or gold? . . .

 He is not bound by the senses -
 How then can I win him
 With all the riches of China?

 He is an angel,
 Though he appears in the form of a man.
 Even angels cannot fly in his presence -
 How then can I win him
 By assuming a heavenly form?

 He flies on the wings of God,
 His food is pure light -
 How then can I win him
 With a loaf of baked bread?

 He is neither a merchant, nor a tradesman -
 How then can I win him
 With a plan of great profit?

 He is not blind, nor easily fooled -
 How then can I win him
 By lying in bed as if gravely ill?

 I will go mad, pull out my hair,
 Grind my face in the dirt -
 How will this win him?

 He sees everything -
 how can I ever fool him?

 He is not a seeker of fame,
 A prince addicted to the praise of poets -
 How then can I win him
 With flowing rhymes and poetic verses?

 The glory of his unseen form
 Fills the whole universe
 How then can I win him
 With a mere promise of paradise?

 I may cover the earth with roses,
 I may fill the ocean with tears,
 I may shake the heavens with praises -
 none of this will win him.

 There is only one way to win him,
 this Beloved of mine -

 Become his.
-- Jalaluddin Rumi
This poem actually arrived in my mailbox this morning from a 'Rumi poetry'
egroup I subscribed to recently. I love the way the poem builds up in
passion and desperation and ends in a quiet moment of realisation. Dont have
much to say about the poem except that I thought it was *so* romantic and
beautiful even in translation, that I wonder just how pretty it might have
been if I could read and understand it in Farsi.

Seema
Posted on

9 comments:

  1. RajApril 27, 2003 at 9:02 AM

    However much the poem may influence one romantically, I believe this
    was not originally written as a love poem, but as a prayer! The 'Him'
    in the poem refers to God.

    Jalaluddin Rumi was a 13th century Turkish Sufi mystic. This seems to be a
    characteristic of many Sufi poems: they can be interpreted as beautiful
    romantic love songs or extremely devotional prayers. I am not really
    knowledgeable about the Sufi sect, but I believe it may have involved
    achieving some sort of spiritual bliss by falling into total love with
    God.

    For those associated with South Asian culture by birth or choice, many of
    us are acquainted with Sufi love (or devotional, whichever way you want to
    look at it) poetry in the form of the lyrically supreme romantic songs of
    the late Nusrat FA Khan. 'Aafreen Aafreen' is one that I believe, best
    represents the genre of Sufi romantic/devotional poetry that most South
    Asians will be acquainted with.

    Here is where I found a biography of Rumi
    [broken link] http://www.digiserve.com/mystic/Muslim/Rumi/index.html

    Great poem, anyway! I wish I could hear it sung too.
    Raj

    ReplyDelete
  2. Suresh RamasubramanianApril 27, 2003 at 1:17 PM

    At 12:14 PM 4/27/2003 -0700, Martin Julian DeMello wrote:
    >"This Will Not Win Him"
    >
    > Reason says,
    > I will win him with my eloquence.
    >
    > Love says,
    > I will win him with my silence.

    Rumi's concept is very similar to the idea of "Bhakti" (or the love divine)
    as expressed in Hindu philosophy. Almost word for word. Thanks for an
    excellent poem, Seema and Minstrels.

    srs

    ReplyDelete
  3. letter templateSeptember 9, 2014 at 1:17 AM

    For all linked to Southerly Asian kitchenware culture simply by delivery or perhaps alternative, most of you are accustomed to Sufi really like (or devotional, whatever way you intend to
    examine it) beautifully constructed wording in the form of the lyrically substantial romantic tunes connected with the late Nusrat FA Khan. mens health 'Aafreen Aafreen' will be one who I do believe, finest presents the style connected with Sufi romantic/devotional beautifully constructed wording that a majority of Southerly Asians will be accustomed to.

    ReplyDelete
  4. seoamineDecember 7, 2014 at 5:38 AM

    thanks so much for that greatarticle and usefull information
    فوائد الحلبة فوائد الزنجبيل فوائد الرمان فوائد زيت السمسم علاج البواسير فوائد البصل فوائد اليانسون فوائد الكركم فوائد الزعتر قصص جحا علامات الحمل تعريف الحب حياة البرزخ

    ReplyDelete
  5. UnknownSeptember 29, 2015 at 4:26 PM

    Obat Sipilis Jogja
    obat sipilis de nature
    Obat Sipilis Tradisional Daun Sirih
    obat sipilis paling ampuh
    obat sipilis di apotik
    obat sipilis raja singa
    Obat Sipilis Jogja
    obat sipilis de nature
    obat sipilis tradisional daun sirih
    obat sipilis di apotik umum
    obat sipilis dokter
    obat sipilis generik
    t sipilis yang paling ampuh
    obat sipilis
    Obat Sipilis Tradisional
    Obat Sipilis Di Apotik
    Obat Sipilis Alami
    Obat Sipilis Paling Ampuh
    Obat Sipilis Dengan Bayam Duri
    Obat Sipilis Pada Pria
    Obat Sipilis Raja Singa
    Obat Sipilis Jogja
    Obat Sipilis De Nature
    Obat Sipilis Di Jual Di Apotik
    Obat Sipilis Di Apotik Terdekat
    Obat Sipilis Di Apotik Kimia Farma
    Obat Sipilis Di Apotik Resep Dokter
    Obat Sipilis Di Kimia Farma

    ReplyDelete
  6. ArtJogjaOctober 6, 2015 at 6:36 PM

    obat wasir tanpa operasi
    obat wasir obat wasir obat wasir obat wasir obat wasir obat wasir obat wasir obat wasir obat wasir obat wasir obat wasir obat wasir obat wasir obat wasir obat wasir obat wasir obat wasir obat wasir obat wasir obat wasir =bisa pesan disini

    ReplyDelete
  7. herbal murahOctober 9, 2015 at 7:10 PM

    good article
    cara menghilangkan kutil pada kemaluan
    cara untuk menghilangkan kutil pada kemaluan
    cara buat menghilangkan kutil pada kemaluan
    cara cepat menghilangkan kutil pada kemaluan
    artikel cara menghilangkan kutil pada kemaluan
    Mengobati Virus Kutil di Kemaluan
    Cara Mengobati Virus Kutil di Kemaluan
    Obat Buat Mengobati Virus Kutil di Kemaluan
    Mengobati Virus Kutil di Kemaluan Pria
    Mengobati Virus Kutil di Kemaluan Wanita

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousOctober 25, 2015 at 10:10 PM

    good
    Mengobati Penyakit Ambeien
    Mengobati Penyakit Wasir
    Mengobati Ambeien Tanpa Operasi
    Mengobati Penyakit Ambeien Wasir Tanpa Operasi
    Mengobati Wasir Tanpa Operasi
    Mengobati Ambeien Tanpa Operasi
    Mengobati Ambeien Wasir
    Mengobati Ambeien dan Wasir Tanpa Operasi
    Obat Ambeien Tradisional Apotik
    Obat Ambeien Tradisional
    Obat Ambeien di Apotik
    Obat Ambeyen Tradisional di Apotik
    Resep Obat Ambeien
    Resep Obat Ambeien Wasir Tradisional
    Obat Ambeien Tradisional
    Resep Obat Ambeien dan Wasir Tradisional
    Ramuan Obat Ampuh Ambeien Tradisional
    Ramuan Obat Ambeien
    Obat Ambeien Tradisional
    Ramuan Obat Ambeien Wasir Tradisional
    Cara Mengobati Ambeien Hemoroid
    Mengobati Hemoroid Secara Alami
    Cara Ampuh Mengobati Ambeien Hemoroid Secara Alami
    Cara Mengobati Ambeyen Hemoroid Secara Alami
    Cara Ampuh Mengobati Ambeien dan Wasir Secara Alami
    Cara Ampuh Ambeien Secara Alami
    Cara Mengobati Ambeien Secara Alami
    Cara Ampuh Mengobati Ambeyen Secara Alami
    Cara Alternatif Mengobati Ambeien
    Mengobati Ambeien Secara Alami
    Mengobati Ambeien Alami
    Cara Alternatif Mengobati Ambeyen Secara Alami
    Mengobati Ambeien Hemoroid
    Mengobati Ambeien Hemoroid Tanpa harus Operasi
    Mengobati Ambeien Tanpa Operasi
    Mengobati Ambeyen Hemoroid Tanpa Operasi
    Mengobati Infeksi Kutil Sekitar Kemaluan
    Mengobati Kutil di Sekitar Kemaluan
    Mengobati Infeksi Kutil di Kemaluan
    Mengobati Infeksi Kutil yang di Sekitar Kemaluan
    Mengobati Benjolan Kutil di Sekitar Kelamin
    Mengobati Benjolan Kutil Kemaluan
    Mengobati Kutil di Sekitar Kemaluan
    Mengobati Sakit Benjolan Kutil di Sekitar Kemaluan
    Mengobati Kutil Kemaluan Wanita
    Kutil Sekitar Kemaluan Wanita
    Mengobati Kutil di Sekitar Kemaluan
    Mengobati Kutil di Sekitar Kelamin Wanita

    ReplyDelete
  9. UnknownOctober 27, 2015 at 10:45 AM

    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `
    `

    ReplyDelete