Rumi:

Translation:

When the tent-pavilion was pitched for Solomon, the birds came before him to pay their respects.  They found him speaking their language and familiar with them; one by one, they sped with eager souls into his presence. All the birds, having ceased from twittering, became more articulate with Solomon than your own brother:

Having the same tongue is kinship and affinity,

With those with whom no intimacy exists, a man is in prison.

There are many Hindus and Turks with the same tongue,

And oh, many a pair of Turks, strangers to each other.

Hence the tongue of intimacy is something else,

It is better to be of one heart than of one tongue.

Without speech, without oath, without register,

A hundred thousand interpreters from the heart arise.

 

from:

Seyyed Hossein Nasr

 

Original:

چون سلیمان را سراپرده زدند

جمله مرغانش به خدمت آمدند

هم‌زبان و محرم خود یافتند

پیش او یک یک بجان بشتافتند

جمله مرغان ترک کرده چیک چیک

با سلیمان گشته افصح من اخیک

همزبانی خویشی و پیوندی است

مرد با نامحرمان چون بندی است

 

همزبانی خویشی و پیوندی است

مرد با نامحرمان چون بندی است

ای بسا هندو و ترک همزبان

ای بسا دو ترک چون بیگانگان

پس زبان محرمی خود دیگرست

همدلی از همزبانی بهترست

غیرنطق و غیر ایما و سجل

صد هزاران ترجمان خیزد ز دل

جمله مرغان هر یکی اسرار خود

از هنر وز دانش و از کار خود

 

 

Hafez:

 

Translation:

Morning breeze of joy, by that way that you know

Go to to that one’s street and tell her at that time you know

 

You are the messenger of the mysteries of khalwa, and I am watching your road

Ride humbly, not haughtily, in that way that you know

 

You could say that my dear soul fell from my hand

For God’s sake, give me, from that soul-nourishing ruby (your mouth), that which you know

 

I wrote these few words in such a way that no one understood

you too, read them kindly in that way that you know.

 

The image of your blade (smile) is like water to a thirsty man

you took your prisoner, so slay in that way that you know

 

How can I not fasten my hope to your embroidered belt?

My dear, there is a subtlety in that waist, as you well know

 

Hafez, Turkish and Arabic are one in this work

tell love’s tale in any language that you know

 

Original:

نسیم صبح سعادت بدان نشان که تو دانی                  گذر به کوی فلان کن در آن زمان که تو دانی

تو پیک خلوت رازی و دیده بر سر راهت                 به مردمی نه به فرمان چنان بران که تو دانی

بگو که جان عزیزم ز دست رفت  خدا را                         ز لعل روح‌فزایش ببخش آن که تو دانی

من این حروف نوشتم چنان‌که غیر ندانست               تو هم ز روی کرامت چنان بخوان که تو دانی

خیال تیغ تو با ما حدیث تشنه و آب است                    اسیر خویش گرفتی، بکش چنان که تو دانی

امید در کمر زرکشت چگونه ببندم                              دقیقه‌ ای‌ ست نگارا در آن میان که تو دانی

یکی‌ست ترکی و تازی در این معامله حافظ                  حدیث عشق بیان کن بدان زبان که تو دانی

 

Some more quotes/interpretations from Rumi and Hafez for which I haven’t found the original:

 

Hafez

Look at This Beauty

 

The beauty of this poem is beyond words.
Do you need a guide to experience the heat of the sun?

Blessed is the brush of the painter who paints
Such beautiful pictures for his virgin bride.

Look at this beauty. There is no reason for what you see.
Experience its grace. Even in nature there is nothing so fine.

Either this poem is a miracle, or some sort of magic trick.
Guided either by Gabriel or the Invisible Voice, inside.

No one, not even Hafiz, can describe with words the Great Mystery.
No one knows in which shell the priceless pearl does hide.

– Translation by Thomas Rain Crowe

 From: Drunk on the Wine of the Beloved 100 Poems of Hafiz   – Shambhala 2001

 

Rumi

 

“At night, I open the window and ask the moon to come and press its face against mine. Breathe into me. Close the language-door and open the love-window. The moon won’t use the door, only the window.”

 

“Love is that that never sleeps, nor even rests, nor stays for long with those that do. Love is language that cannot be said, or heard.”

 

“Silence is the language of God,
all else is poor translation.”

 

“There is a voice that doesn’t use words. Listen.”: