Maulana Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhi (Rumi)

Love, Laughter, and Nourishment: Rumi’s Gift to You

Persian calligraphy of Rumi quote: 'I am your moon and your moonlight too...
Rumi quote in English: 'I am your moon and your moonlight too...
The English translation of Rumi’s moving poem, ‘I am your moon and your moonlight too,’ presented on a textured background.

I am your moon and your moonlight too
I am your flower garden and your water too
I have come all this way, eager for you
Without shoes or shawl
I want you to laugh
To kill all your worries
To love you
To nourish you.

Rumi

A Journey of Love: Rumi’s Path to Your Heart

من ماه توام و نور ماهت نیز
من باغ گل توام و آبت نیز
همه این راه را آمده‌ام، مشتاق تو
بی کفش و بی شال
می‌خواهم که بخندی
همه نگرانی‌هایت را از میان ببری
تو را دوست بدارم
و تو را پرورش دهم.


این ابیات از مولانا بیانگر عشق بی‌قید و شرط و فداکاری عاشق برای معشوق است. مولانا در این شعر، خود را ماه و نور ماه، باغ و آب می‌نامد، که نماد روشنایی، زیبایی و حیات است. این استعاره‌ها نشان می‌دهند که او نه‌تنها عاشق است، بلکه تمام هستی‌اش را وقف معشوق کرده است.
او با اشتیاقی وصف‌ناپذیر، بدون هیچ وسایل دنیوی (کفش و شال) به سوی معشوق آمده است، که نشان از رهایی از تعلقات مادی و تسلیم کامل به عشق دارد. در ادامه، هدفش را شادی، آرامش و محبت به معشوق می‌داند. این ابیات از روحیه عارفانه مولانا سرچشمه می‌گیرند، جایی که عشق به انسان، نمودی از عشق به خداوند است.

مولانا

Discover the Power of Rumi’s Love Today

Ман моҳи туям ва нурии моҳи ту низ
Ман боғи гулҳои туям ва обе ту низ
Ҳамаи ин роҳро омадаам, ташнаи ту
Бе кафш ва бидуни рӯмол
Мехоҳам, ки бихандӣ
Ҳамаи ғамҳоятро аз байн барӣ
Туро дӯст бидорам
Ва туро парвариш диҳам.


Ин байтҳои Мавлоно муҳаббати бечунучаро ва фидокории ошиқро нисбати маъшуқ баён мекунанд. Мавлоно дар ин шеър худро моҳ ва нури моҳ, инчунин боғ ва об мешуморад, ки рамзи рӯшноӣ, зебоӣ ва ҳаётанд. Ин ташбеҳҳо нишон медиҳанд, ки ӯ на танҳо ошиқ аст, балки ҳастии худро комилан ба маъшуқ мебахшад.
Ӯ бо иштиёқи беинтиҳо, бе пойафзол ва бе рӯмол ба сӯи маъшуқ меравад, ки ин нишонаи раҳоӣ аз бандҳои моддӣ ва таслим шудан ба муҳаббат аст. Дар идома, ҳадафи худро хурсанд кардани маъшуқ, аз байн бурдани ғамҳояш ва меҳрубонӣ нисбати ӯ медонад. Ин байтҳо аз рӯҳи орифонаи Мавлоно маншаъ мегиранд, ки муҳаббат ба инсонро таҷассумгари муҳаббати илоҳӣ мешуморад.

МАВЛОНО ҶАЛОЛУДДИН МУҲАММАДИ БАЛХӢ

Unveiling Rumi’s Timeless Words of Love

أنا قمرُك ونورُ قمرِك أيضًا
أنا بستانُك وماؤُك أيضًا
جئتُ كلَّ هذا الطريقَ، مُشتاقًا إليك
حافيًا، بلا نعلٍ ولا وشاح
أريدُكَ أن تضحك
أن تزيلَ كلَّ همومِكَ
أن أُحبَّكَ
وأن أُغذِّيك.


هذه الأبيات تعكس حبًّا غير مشروط وتفاني العاشق في سبيل المعشوق. فمولانا في هذه الأبيات يصف نفسه بالقمر ونور القمر، وكذلك بالبستان والماء، وهي رموز تدلّ على النور والجمال والحياة. هذه الاستعارات تبيّن أن الشاعر ليس فقط محبًّا، بل إنه يكرّس كل كيانه لمحبوبه.
يُظهر مولانا شوقه اللامحدود من خلال التصريح بأنه جاء بلا حذاء ولا وشاح، مما يدلّ على التخلي عن متاع الدنيا والتسليم التام للحبّ. ثم يعبّر عن رغبته في إسعاد محبوبه، وإزالة همومه، ومنحه الحبّ والرعاية. هذه الأبيات مستوحاة من الروح الصوفية لمولانا، حيث يُنظر إلى الحبّ البشري على أنه انعكاس للحبّ الإلهي.

مولانا جلال الدین الرومي

Let’s dive into this beautiful and evocative quote attributed to Rumi, the 13th-century Persian poet, mystic, and Sufi philosopher. Rumi’s poetry often transcends the personal and speaks to the universal, weaving together themes of love, unity, longing, and the divine. This particular passage is rich with imagery, emotion, and layered meaning, so I’ll break it down line by line, exploring its poetic devices, possible interpretations, and the spiritual undertones that are characteristic of Rumi’s work.


“I am your moon and your moonlight too”

  • Imagery: The moon and moonlight evoke a sense of guidance, beauty, and gentle illumination in darkness. The moon is a celestial body, distant yet ever-present, while moonlight is its intimate gift, touching the earth softly.
  • Interpretation: Here, the speaker (potentially Rumi himself, a lover, or a representation of the divine) claims a dual role—both the source and the expression of something essential. It suggests completeness and inseparability: “I am both the origin and what flows from it.” In a mystical sense, this could reflect the Sufi idea of unity between the self and the divine—God as both the essence (moon) and the manifestation (moonlight) of existence.
  • Emotional Tone: Tender and protective, offering constancy and comfort.

“I am your flower garden and your water too”

  • Imagery: A flower garden is a place of beauty, growth, and life, while water is the sustaining force that makes it possible. Together, they create a vivid picture of abundance and nurturing.
  • Interpretation: This line extends the theme of being both the creation and its sustenance. The speaker isn’t just a passive presence but an active nourisher, implying a deep commitment to the beloved’s flourishing. In a spiritual context, this could symbolize the divine as both the beauty of the world (garden) and its life-giving essence (water). For Rumi, love—whether human or divine—often involves cultivating and sustaining the soul.
  • Emotional Tone: Generous and life-affirming, suggesting a desire to see the beloved thrive.

“I have come all this way, eager for you / Without shoes or shawl”

  • Imagery: The journey “without shoes or shawl” paints a picture of vulnerability, urgency, and sacrifice. Barefoot and uncovered, the speaker has stripped away comforts or defenses to reach the beloved.
  • Interpretation: This speaks to the intensity of longing and devotion. The lack of shoes or shawl could symbolize humility, surrender, or the shedding of worldly attachments—a common theme in Sufism, where the seeker abandons ego and materialism to unite with the Beloved (often God). It’s a raw, humanizing detail that contrasts with the earlier cosmic imagery, grounding the speaker’s passion in a tangible act of pursuit.
  • Emotional Tone: Passionate, almost desperate, yet selfless—emphasizing the effort made for the sake of connection.

“I want you to laugh / To kill all your worries”

  • Imagery: Laughter is light and liberating, while “killing worries” suggests a decisive end to burden or suffering.
  • Interpretation: The speaker’s desire shifts from self-description to intention, revealing their purpose: to bring joy and relief to the beloved. This could be a lover’s wish to ease their partner’s pain or a divine promise of peace and transcendence. In Sufi thought, joy is often a sign of spiritual awakening—laughter as a release from the heaviness of the ego or worldly concerns.
  • Emotional Tone: Warm, caring, and uplifting, with a hint of playfulness.

“To love you / To nourish you”

  • Imagery: Simple and direct, these verbs carry profound weight—love as an action, nourishment as a sustaining force.
  • Interpretation: The culmination of the quote, these lines distill the speaker’s mission into two essential acts. Love here is active, not passive, paired with nourishment to suggest a holistic care for the beloved’s body, heart, and soul. In a mystical reading, this mirrors the divine’s relationship with humanity—unconditional love paired with the sustenance of existence itself.
  • Emotional Tone: Tender, resolute, and deeply intimate.

Broader Themes and Context

Love as Unity

Rumi’s poetry frequently blurs the line between human and divine love, and this quote is no exception. The speaker’s claim to be both “moon and moonlight,” “garden and water,” suggests a unity that transcends duality—a hallmark of Sufi mysticism. The beloved could be a person, the soul, or God, reflecting Rumi’s belief that all love is ultimately a reflection of the divine. The journey “without shoes or shawl” reinforces this, echoing the Sufi path of surrender and longing for union with the Beloved.

Vulnerability and Sacrifice

The barefoot, shawl-less journey stands out as a powerful symbol of vulnerability. It’s not a triumphant arrival but a humble, eager one, emphasizing that love—whether romantic or spiritual—requires risk and exposure. This resonates with Rumi’s broader teachings: true connection demands letting go of pride and protection.

Joy and Nourishment

The shift to the beloved’s experience—laughter, relief from worry, love, and nourishment—shows that this isn’t a selfish love. The speaker’s fulfillment lies in the beloved’s well-being, a selfless devotion that aligns with both romantic ideals and spiritual compassion. In Sufism, joy is often the fruit of divine connection, and nourishment could symbolize the soul’s growth through love.


Poetic Devices

  • Repetition and Parallelism: The repeated “I am your…” structure in the first two lines creates a rhythmic flow, emphasizing the speaker’s all-encompassing presence. Later, the parallel “To…” phrases (“To laugh / To kill / To love / To nourish”) build momentum, focusing on the speaker’s intentions.
  • Metaphor: Moon, moonlight, garden, and water are layered metaphors, rich with connotations of light, life, and care.
  • Contrast: The cosmic grandeur of “moon and moonlight” contrasts with the humble “without shoes or shawl,” blending the transcendent and the earthly.
  • Personification: “Kill all your worries” gives worries a tangible form, making their defeat more vivid.

Possible Interpretations

  1. Romantic Love: A lover expresses total devotion, offering themselves as both the source of beauty and sustenance, willing to sacrifice comfort to bring joy to their partner.
  2. Divine Love: God or the divine speaks to humanity, promising guidance (moonlight), beauty (garden), and care (water), approaching with humility to lift the soul from suffering.
  3. Self-Love or Inner Unity: The speaker could be the soul addressing itself, recognizing its own capacity for light, growth, and healing—a call to embrace wholeness.

Cultural and Historical Context

Rumi lived in a time of upheaval (1207–1273), yet his poetry radiates timeless peace and love. As a Sufi, he saw the world as a reflection of divine beauty, and his works often use romantic imagery to express spiritual truths. This quote, while not directly traceable to a specific poem in his vast oeuvre (like the Masnavi or Divan-e Shams), feels consistent with his style and philosophy. Its attribution to Rumi may come from translations or oral tradition, as his words have been widely adapted and reinterpreted.


Personal Reflection

This quote feels like a warm embrace—cosmic yet grounded, grand yet intimate. It’s the kind of poetry that invites you to pause and feel the depth of connection, whether to another person, to something greater, or to yourself. The barefoot journey sticks with me most—it’s such a human detail in a sea of lofty metaphors, a reminder that love, in all its forms, is a raw and earnest act.


What do you think? Does a particular line or image resonate with you? I’d love to explore your perspective too!


External links:
This Rumi quote, found on “Goodreads

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