Mevlâna Jalâluddîn Rumi
Spirit
Day and night there is movement of foam on the Sea.
You see the foam, but not the Sea. Amazing!
We are dashing against each other like boats:
our eyes are darkened though we are in clear water.
O you who have gone to sleep in the body’s boat,
you’ve seen the water,
but look at the Water of the water.
The water has a Water that is driving it;
the spirit has a Spirit that is calling it.
[III, 1272-4]
Time is limited, and the abundant water is flowing away.
Drink, before you fall to pieces.
There is a famous conduit, full of the Water of Life:
draw the Water, in order that verdure may grow up from you.
We are drinking the water of Khidr
from the river of the speech of the saints:
Come, O heedless thirsty man!
Even if you don’t see the water, artfully, like the blind,
bring the jug to the river and dip it in.
[III, 4300-4]