Molana (Rumi) Poems in Farsi and English
Whether you’re interested in literature or not, you’ve probably heard Molana poems or at least have known his name, Rumi. Jalal ad-Din Mohammad Rumi, also known as Molana, is a Persian poet who lived in the 13th century. Whether you’re reading his poems for inspiration or just enjoyment, you will find his poetry full of spirituality, passion, and true love. Molana poems are a great representation of Persian love and Sufism. If you would like to get familiar with more of his poems, follow this article to the end.
12 Molana Poems with English Translation
Molana poems have endured for so long because they are universally relevant, regardless of one’s point of view on the apparent appearance of his work. Even if his poems are short in length, you should not consider them simplistic. Every poem includes profound truths that, if you ponder, you might discover greater appreciation and knowledge of the past and guidance for your future.
In the following, we provided 12 Molana poems for you.
ای ساقی از آن باده که اول دادی رطلی دو درانداز و بیفزا شادی
یا چاشنیی از آن نبایست نمود یا مست و خراب کن چو سر بگشادی
Ey Saghi az an bade ke aval dadi Ratli do andaz va biyafza shadi
Ya chashni az an nabayad nemod ya mast O kharab kon cho sar bogshadi
English Translation:
O cupbearer from that wine you gave me first
pour it twice and double my happiness
Or shouldn’t have I made a taste
or if you opened the jar, you should make me drunk and wasted
Wow, awesome, right? We may apply this poetry to our life while not experiencing something we don’t expect much; but if we taste a sensation, particularly love, we want to enjoy the emotion to the fullest.
گاه از غم او دست ز جان می‌شوئی گه قصهٔ آ، به درد دل می‌گوئی
سرگشته چرا گرد جهان می‌پوئی کو از تو برون نیست کرا می‌جویی
Gah az ghame Ou ze jan mishoyi gah these A, be darde del migoyi
Sargashte chera gerde jahan mipoyi ku az tu boron nist ke ra mi joyi
English Translation
Sometimes because of longing for him, you’re irritated to death
Sometimes, you tell melancholy tales
Why are you searching the outside world with confusion?!
He is inside you (God), whom are you searching for in the mundane world?
In this quatrain, Rumi tells those searching for God in confusion and tells them God is within you, so look inside.
Molana poems are mainly about God’s existence within every human being.
ای قوم به حج رفته کجایید کجایید
معشوق همین جاست بیایید بیایید
Ey ghome be Hajj rafte, kojayid kojayid
Mashogh hamin jast, biyayid biyayid
English Translation
O people who traveled to Hajj, where are you! Where are you!
The beloved (God) is right here
Come back, come back
As mentioned earlier, Molana poems tell people not to search for God in the outside world; instead, God is within us.
Here, Rumi calls the pilgrims who went to Hajj (the holy city for Muslims, also called the house of God) that God is not there and asks them to ponder more.
گویند که عشق عاقبت تسکین است
اول شور است و عاقبت تمکین است
Goyand ke eshq aghebat taskin ast
Aval shor ast va aghebat tamkin ast
English Translation
They say you will find relief at last in love
First, it’s bitter, but finally, it’s sweet
گفت لیلی را خلیفه کان توی کز تو مجنون شد پریشان و غوی
از دگر خوبان تو افزون نیستی گفت خامش چون تو مجنون نیست
Goft Leyli ra khalife kan toy kaz to Majnon shod parishan va ghavi
Az digar khoban to afzon nisti goft khamosh chon to Majnon nisti
English Translation
The Caliph asked Leily: Are you the one by whom Majon went mad?
But you are not more beautiful than other pretty faces!
She replied: Be silent! That’s because you are not Majnon.
Here, Molana refers to the novel “Leily and Majnon,” written by Nezami.
Majnon goes astray because of his love for Leily. Once Caliph saw Leily and got surprised that Leily is not even that beautiful.
Rumi says that don’t judge others and try to put yourself in others’ shoes when evaluating them and avoid looking at love at the surface level.
You can’t find love with eyes; instead, try to see by your heart because that’s when true love begins.
یک ساعت عشق صد جهان بیش ارزد
صد جان به فدای عاشقی باد ای جان
Yek saat eshq sad jahan bish arzad
Sad jan be fadaye asheqi bad ey jan
English Translation
One hour of love is more valuable than a hundred worlds
It’s better to sacrifice a hundred lives over love, my beloved
Molana believes any kind of sacrifice is worthy of love. As we mentioned before, Molana poems are about love and how he cares about the beloved.
نیست از عاشق کسی دیوانه‌تر
عقل از سودای او کورست و کر
Nist az asheq kasi divane tat
Aghl az sodaye Ou kur ast O kar
English Translation
Nobody is as crazy as a lover
His eyes are blind, and his ears are deaf
Rumi believes that people who fall in love keep their eyes closed to anything else and don’t listen to any advice.
We can feel these poems because we usually see people in love do strangely or don’t even care that the other one is harming them.
عمر که بی‌عشق رفت هیچ حسابش مگیر
آب حیاتست عشق در دل و جانش پذیر
Omr ke bi eshq raft hich hesabash magir
Abe hayat ast eshq dar del va janash pazir
English Translation
If days pass without feeling love, don’t consider them as life
It is love that enlightens the heart
Molana Poems tells us that a life without love is meaningless, and it’s love that makes life more pleasing. So, don’t forget to feel love in your heart every day.
بی همگان به سر شود بی‌تو به سر نمی‌شود
داغ تو دارد این دلم جای دگر نمی‌شود
Bi hamegan be sar shavad bi to be sar nemishavad
Daghe to darad in delam jaye degar nemishavad
English Translation
I can live without others, but without you, no, I can’t live
My heart is broken because of you, and nobody can fix it
Sad poems are typical in Persian literature, especially in Molana poems where the lover expresses how his heart is broken into pieces; the same is here with Molana poems.
بیا تا قدر یک دیگر بدانیم
که تا ناگه ز یک دیگر نمانیم
Bia ta ghadre yek digar bedanim
Ke ta na gah ze yek digar namanim
English Translation
Come to me, and let’s appreciate each other’s presence
And never leave till the end
Human beings usually don’t appreciate what they have, which is true from Rumi’s time, centuries ago! Molana invites his lover to enjoy each other.
We recommend you write this poem in your notebook to remind you to appreciate your loved ones every day.
من بنده خوبانم هر چند بدم گویند
با زشت نیامیزم هر چند کند نیکی
Man bandeye khobanam harchand badam goyand
Ba zesht nayamizam har chand konad niki
English Translation
I am a good man even if others tell bad behind me
I don’t get involved with ugliness, even if it seems reasonable on the surface!
Here, Molana poems discuss that although others talk bad about him, he’s not a terrible servant of God and doesn’t appreciate evil deeds.
It doesn’t matter what others say because people don’t see what’s inside others’ hearts, so Molana encourages you to stay on track of your life even if people disapprove.
هر کسی را بهر کاری ساختند
میل آن را در دلش انداختند
Har kasi ra bahre kari sakhtand
Meyle an ra dar delash andakhtand
English Translation
God made everyone with a specific ability, then
He put its desire to their hearts
Molana believes that everyone is born with exceptional talent, and by distinct, they go after it.
Conclusion
This article talked about who Rumi is and then provided 12 of his poems. Molana poems are deep, and as he believes we should not judge based on appearance, his main concepts can’t be discovered by the surface.