Selected Poems Poems in English and Turkish

The world is filled with the Truth. No one knows the Truth. Desire That in your Self That is not apart from you. The other world lies beyond sight. Here on earth we must live upright. Exile is a steep torment. No one comes back once he is gone. Come, let us all be friends for once, Let us make life easy on us, Let us be lovers and loved ones, The earth shall be left to no one. To you, what Yunus says is clear, Its meaning is in your heart's ear: We should all live the good life here, Because nobody will live on. ** O God, if you would ever question me, This would be my outright answer to Thee: True, I sinned-brutalised my own being, But what Have I done against you, my King? Did I make myself? I'm your creation. Why drench me in sin, Benevolent One? I saw dungeons when I opened my eyes- Teeming with devils, temptation and lies. To shun death by Hunger, many a time, In prison, I had to eat dirt and grime. Did your dominion become any less? Did I usurp any of your prowess? Are you Hungry? Did I eat your ration? Did I deprive you, cause your starvation? Do you still seek revenge though you hilled me, Since I rotted, since darkest soil filled me. You built me a bridge to cross, thin as hair; Out of your traps I'm to choose my own snare. How can a man pass through a Hair-thin bridge? He falls or clings on or flies off the ridge. Your slaves build bridges for the public good, Those who pass through it head for the Godhead. I wish its firm foundation will hold sway So those who cross it know it's the true way. You set a scale to weigh deeds, for your aim Is to hurl me into Hell's crackling flame. A scale is suitable for a grocer, For a small merchant or a jeweller. Sin, though, is the vilest, filthiest vice, The profit of those unworthy of Grace. You can see everything, you know me-fine; Then, why must you weigh all these deeds of mine? No harm ever came from Yunus to you; Open, secret-all things are in your view. God Almighty, why all this talk, why must We prattle about a handful of dust?

I am before, I am after The soul for all souls all the way. I'm the one with a helping hand Ready for those gone wild, astray. I made the ground flat where it lies, On it I had those mountains rise, I designed the vault of the shies, For I hold all things in my sway. To countless lovers I have been A guide for faith and religion. I am sacrilege in men's hearts Also the true faith and Islam's way. I make men love peace and unite; Putting down the black words on white, I wrote the four holy books right I'm the Koran for those who pray. It's not Yunus who says all this: It speaks its own realities: To doubt this would be blasphemous: "I'm before-I'm after," I say. PS.  Certain parts of the English translation are missing.  If anyone has the rest of the translation please email me at hurg@yahoo.com

Hak cihâna doludur Kimseler Hakk'i bilmez Onu sen senden iste Ol senden ayri olmaz Dünyaya inanirsin Rizka benimdir dersin Niçün yalan söylersin Hiç sen dedigin olmaz Aliret yavlak irakdir Dogruluk key yarakdir Ayrilik sarp firakdir Hiç giden geri gelmez Dünyaya gelen göçer Bir bir Serbetin içer Bu bir köprüdür geçer Câhiller onu bilmez Gelin tanis olalim Isi kolay kilalim Sevelim sevilelim Dünya kimseye kalmaz Yûnus sözün anlarsan Mânâsini dinlersen Sana iyi dirlik gerek Bunda kimseye kalmaz. ** Yâ Ilâhî ger suâl etsen bana Bu durur anda cevâbim us sana Ben bana zulm eyledim ettim günah N'eyledim n'ettim sana ey pâdisâh Gelmeden hakkimda benim kem dedin Dogmadan âsî benî-âdem dedin Sen ezelde beni âsî yazasin Doldurasin âleme âvâzesin Her ne dilersen hakkimda isledin Ne tusa durdum ise sen tusladin Ben mi düzdüm beni sen düzdün beni Pür ayip nise getirdin ey Ganî Gözüm açip gördügüm zindan içi Nefs ü hevâ pür dolu seytân içi Haps içinde ölmeyeyim deyü aç Mismil ü murdar yedim bir iki kaç Nesne eksildi mi mülkünden senin Geçti mi hükmüm ya hükmünden senin Rizkini yiyip seni aç mi kodum Ya yiyip öynünü muhtaç mi kodum Geçmedi mi intikamin öldürüp Çürütüp gözümü toprak doldurup Kil gibi köprü yaparsin geç deyü Sen seni gel dûzahimdan seç deyü Kil gibi köprüden âdem mi geçer Ya düser ya dayanir yahud uçar Kullarin köprü yaparlar hayr içün Hayri budur kim geçeler seyr içün Tâ gerek bünyâdi muhkem ola ol Ol geçenler eydeler us dogru yol

Evvel benem âhir benem canlara can olan benem Azup yolda kalmislara hâzir meded iren benem Bir karâra dutdum karâr sirnimi benüm kim tuyar Gözsüz beni kaçan görür gönülde gizlenen benem Kün deminde katre uran bir nazarda dünya turan Kudretinden hon döseyüp isk nevbetin uran benem Düz dösedüm bu yerleri çöksü urdum bu taglari Sayvan eyledüm gökleri girü dutup duran benem Dahi aceb âsiklan ikrâr u din îmân oldum Halkun gönlinde küfrile islâmila îman benem Halk içinde dirlik düzen dört kitabi togru yazan Bu üstine kara dizen ol yazilan Kur'an benem Dostila birlige biten buyrugi neyise dutan Mülk bezeyüp dünyâ düzen ol bagçavan heman benem Hamza'yi Kaf'dan asuran elin ayagin sesüren Simurg-i Kaf ardindagi oy agilu ilan benem Yûnus degül buni diyen kendüligidir söyleyen Kâfir olur inanmayan evvel âhir heman benem Evvel benem âhir benem canlara can olan benem Azup yolda kalmislara hâzir meded iren benem Bir karâra dutdum karâr sirnimi benüm kim tuyar Gözsüz beni kaçan görür gönülde gizlenen benem Kün deminde katre uran bir nazarda dünya turan Kudretinden hon döseyüp isk nevbetin uran benem Düz dösedüm bu yerleri çöksü urdum bu taglari Sayvan eyledüm gökleri girü dutup duran benem Dahi aceb âsiklan ikrâr u din îmân oldum Halkun gönlinde küfrile islâmila îman benem Halk içinde dirlik düzen dört kitabi togru yazan Bu üstine kara dizen ol yazilan Kur'an benem Dostila birlige biten buyrugi neyise dutan Mülk bezeyüp dünyâ düzen ol bagçavan heman benem Hamza'yi Kaf'dan asuran elin ayagin sesüren Simurg-i Kaf ardindagi oy agilu ilan benem Yûnus degül buni diyen kendüligidir söyleyen Kâfir olur inanmayan evvel âhir heman benem

Science is to know knowledge Knowledge is to know your Self. If you don't know your Self, Then what's the point of your studies?. What is the purpose of reading? So that you may know the Truth. If you have read, but failed to understand, Then your efforts are just a barren toil. Don't say that I've studied and I know (And that) I've worshipped a lot If one does not know the Truth All your learning is of no use like the desert wind. The true meaning of the four holy books Is found in the alphabet's first letter. You talk about that first letter  What is the meaning of that-could you tell? Yunus Emre says to you,  Make the holy pilgrimage if need be A hundred times-but if you ask me, The enter a heart is best of all.

Ilim ilim bilmektir Ilim kendin bilmektir Sen kendini bilmezsin Ya nice okumaktir Okumaktan mânâ ne Kisi Hakk'i bilmektir Çün okudun bilmezsin Ha bir kuru emektir Okudum bildim deme Çok tâat kildim deme Eri hak bilmez isen Abes yere yelmektir Dört kitabin mânâsi Bellidir bir elifde Sen elifi bilmezsin Bu nice okumaktir Yigirmi dokuz hece Okusan ucdan uca Sen elif dersin hoca Mânâsi ne demektir Yûnus Emre der hoca Gerekse var bin hacca Hepisinden eyice Bir gönüle girmektir

Your love has wrested me away from me, You're the one I need, you're the one I crave. Day and night I burn, gripped by agony, You're the one I need, you're the one I crave. I find no great joy in being alive, If I cease to exist, I would not grieve, The only solace I have is your love, You're the one I need, you're the one I crave. Lovers yearn for you, but your love slays them, At the bottom of the sea it lays them, It has God's images-it displays them; You're the one I need, you're the one I crave. Let me drink the wine of love sip by sip, Like Mecnun, live in the hills in hardship, Day and night, care for you holds me in its grip, You're the one I need, you're the one I crave. Even if, at the end, they make me die And scatter my ashes up to the shy, My pit would break into this outcry: You're the one I need, you're the one I crave. "Yunus Emre the mystic" is my name, Each passing day fans and rouses my flame, What I desire in both worlds in the same: You're the one I need, you're the one I crave.

Askin aldi benden beni Bana seni gerek seni Ben yanarim dün ü günü Bana seni gerek seni Ne vartiga sevinirim Ne yokluga yerinirim Askin ile avunurum Bana seni gerek seni Askin âsiklar öldürür Ask denizine daldirir Tecellî i1e doldurur Bana seni gerek seni Askin sarâbindan içem Mecnûn olup daga düsem Sensin dün ü gün endîsem Bana seni gerek seni Sufilere sohbet gerek Ahîlere ahret gerek Mecnunlara Leylâ gerek Bana seni gerek seni Eger beni öldüreler Külüm göge savuralar Topragim orda çagira Bana seni gerek seni Yûnus'durur benim adim Gün geçtikçe artar odum Iki cihanda maksûdum Bana seni gerek seni

In case my Friend does not return to me, The let me return to the Friend's embrace; I'm willing to suffer pain and torture If that is how I can see the Friend's face. A handful of dust was my stock in trade, And love took even that away from me: Now I have no capital left nor shop. What use is going to the market place? The Friend has His nice shop, neatly set up; Cheerfully He walks around in that shop. But my heart cringes, my sins are countless; Humbly I must go implore the Friend's grace. My heart declares: 'The Friend belongs to me." My eye declares: The Friend belongs to me." My heart urges my eye to have patience, Yearning to receive news, to keep pace. We must accept those who have looked at God As sharing God's life, as one and the same. If a person has received the blessing Of God's vision, he is beyond disgrace.

Ol dost bize gelmezise ben dosta girü varayin Çekeyin cevr ü cefâyi dost yüzin görüvireyin Sermâye bir avuç toprak ani dahi aldi bu isk Ne sermâye var ne dükkân bazara neye varayin Kunlmisdur dost dükkâni dost içine girmis gezer Günâhum çok gönlüm sizer ben dosta çok yalvarayin Gönlüm eydür dost benümdür gözüm eydür dost benümdi Gönlüm eydür göze sabr it bir dem haberin sorayin Hak nazar kildugi cana bir gözile bakmak gerek Ana kim ol nazar kila ben ani nice yireyin Tapdug'um eydür Yûnus'a bu isk Hakk'a irse gerek Kamulardan ol yücedür ben ana nice varayin

We have no knowledge of whose turn has come While Death roams about freely among us: Dashing through men's lives as His own orchard, He plucks and strips anyone He chooses. He crushes people, leaves them with backs bent, And makes multitudes shed tears of lament. He plunders estates to His heart's content, Routs men with all His might till Life oozes. Before the heroes grow old and decrepit, Death strikes and lowers them into the pit Without any forewarning about it. With gleaming eyes, Death enjoys His ruses.

Hiç bilmezem kezek kimün aramuzda gezer ölüm Halki bostan idinmisdür diledügin üzer ölüm Bir nicenün bilin büker bir nicenün mülkin yikar Bir nicenün yasin döker var gücini üzer ölüm Birinin alun kardasin revan döker gözi yasin Hiç onarmaz bagn basin habersüzin gelür ölüm Yigidi koca olinca komaz kendüyi bilince Birini koyup gülince gözlerini süzer ölüm Kani anun sevdük yan kil tâatun, an yüri Miskin Yûnus neye dunir ejderhâlar yudar ölüm

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Yunus  Emre

More Yunus poems

Hey Emrem Yunus bicare, bulunmaz derdine care.  (Oh my beloved, Yunus the helpless, there is no cure for his calamity.)

Source: http://www.mfa.gov.tr