| Selected Poems Poems in English and Turkish |
While I was roaming the wide world I came upon nations in graves: The mighty and the meek lay there Among them awe-inspiring braves. Some were old men, some young heroes: Viziers, teachers-everyone goes; Their days now caught in the night's throes, Here they lie with death's other slaves. The path they took was always straight; Pen in hand, they knew how to write; Their tongues, like nightingales, sang right; Buried they lie-sages and braves. Mighty and low, everyone cried When these heroic leaders died; A broken bow at each graveside Gallant men fell like stray arrows. Their horses unfurled a dust cloud, Drummers marched by them, beating loud, Their might had done land and sea proud; Noble lords now lie in death's caves. |
| Yer yüzünde gezer idim Ugradim milketler yatur Kimi ulu kimi kiçi Key kusagi berkler yatur Kimi yigit kimi koca Kimi vezir kimi hoca Gündüzleri olmus gece Bunculayin çoklar yatur Dogru varirdi yollari Kalem tutardi elleri Bülbüle benzer dilleri Danisman yigiitler yatur Ulu kiçi aglasmislar Server yigitler düsmüsler Bas ucunda yay simislar Kiriluban oklar yatur Atlar izi tozulu Önleri tabil-bazulu Ile güne hükmü yaz(i)li Su muhtesem begler yatur Gece gündüz oglanciklar Söyler iken bülbül gibi Ayrilmislar analari Sinlerini bekler yatur Elleridir kinali hep Karavaslan seker-leb Kargi gibi uzun boylu Gül yüzlü hatunlar yatur El baglamistir kamusu Hak Çalab'dandir umusu Nökerli kizdir kimisi Alinmadan çoklar yatur Yûnus bilmez kendi hâlin Çalab'dir söyletir dilin Bir nicesi yeni gelin Ak teleme yüzler yatur |
| Hear me out, my dear friends, Love resembles the sun. The heart that feels no love Is none other than stone. What can grow on stone hearts? Though the tongue softly starts, Words of venom fume, rage, And turn into war soon. When in love, the soul burns, Melts like wax as it churns. Stone hearts are like winter Dark, harsh, with all warmth gone. Men of God's truth are an ocean, Lovers must plunge into that sea; The sages, too. should take a dive To bring out the best jewellery. We have turned into the Wise Men To find pearls in the depths again; Only the jeweller would know How valuable those pearls might be. Mohammed came to perceive God, And saw God's truth in his selfhood. Providence exists everywhere So long as there are eyes to see. Books are composed by the sages Who put black words on white pages; My sacred book's chapters are all Written in hearts that love truly. |
Isidin ey yârenler Ask bir günese benzer Aski olmayan gönül Misâl i tasa benzer Tas gönülde ne biter Dilinde agu tüter Nice yumsak söylese Sözü savasa benzer Aski var gönül yanar Yumsanur muma döner Tas gönüller kararmis Sarp kisa benzer Ol sultân kapisinda Hazreti tapusunda Asiklarin yildizi Her dem çavusa benzer Geç Yûnus endîseden Gerekse bu bîseden Ere ask gerek önden Ondan dervise benzer |
| Bu dem yüzüm süreduram her dem ayum yeni togar Her dem bayramdunir bana yayum kisum yenibahar Benüm ayum isigina bulutlar gölge kilmaya Hiç gedilmez tolulugi nûn yirden göge agar Anun nûn karanuyi sürer gönül hücresinden Pes karanulik nûnla bir hücreye nite sigar Ben ayumi yirde gördüm ne isterem gökyüzinde Benüm yüzüm yirde gerek bana rahmet yirden yagar Sözüm ay gün içün degül sevenlere bir söz yeter Sevdügüm söylemezisem sevmek derdi beni bogar N'ola Yûnus sevdiyise çokdur Hakk'i seviciler Sevenleri köyer didi anuniçun boyun eger |
Dear Friend, let me plunge in the sea of love, Let me sink into that sea and walk on. Let both worlds become my sphere where I can Delight in the mystic glee and walk on. Let me become the nightingale that sings A soul freed from the dead body's yearnings; Let me bury my head in my two Hands, Take the path to unity and walk on. Thank heaven, I saw the Friend's lovely face And drank the wine of the lovers embrace. It severs me from you-it's a disgrace I'll abandon this city and walk on. Yunus drifts in the throes of love's torture: Of all woes, his is the worst to endure. For my distress only you hold the cure, I,11 ash for that remedy and walk on. |
Iy dost iskun denizine girem gark olam yüriyem Iki cihiân meydan ola devrânum sürem yüriyem Girem denize gark olam ne elif ü mim dal olam Dost baginda bülbül olam güllerin direm yüriyem Bülbül olubani ötem gönül olam canlar utam Basumi elüme alip yolina varam yüriyem Bülbül olubani gidem iy nice gönüller güdem Yüzüm iskila dem-be-dem topraga sürem yüriyem Sükür gördüm didâruni asdum visâlün yârini Bu benlik senlik sanni terkini uram yüriyem Yûnus'dur isk âvâresi bîçâreler biçâresi Sendedür derdüm çâresi dermânum soram yüriyem |
I used to yearn for God; If I found Him, what then? Day and night I shed tears; If I laugh now, what then? I was a ball rolling On the holy men's field; Now I am a bat on The sultan's course, what then? A bunch o f red roses At the sages' parley, I bloomed, grew ripe and big; If I wilted, what then? Scholars and learned men Found it in pious schools; I found the vital truth In the tavern, what then? |
Isteridüm Allâh'i buldumisa ne oldi Aglaridum dün ü gün güldümise ne oldi Erenler meydaninda yuvarlanur tup idüm Pâdisâh çevgâninda kaldumisa ne oldi Erenler sohbetinde deste kizil gül idüm Açildum ele geldüm soldumisa nooldi . Alimler ulemâlar medresede buldiysa Ben hârâbat içinde buldumisa ne oldi Isit Yûnus'i isit us yine delü oldi Erenler ma'nîsine taldumisa ne oldi |
| It's the true man who leads the mystic life Whoever is human, whoever dares. Those who stand high and look below with scorn Are bound to fall from the top of the stairs. Though a gray-bearded old man might look grand, There is so much he doesn't understand, Let him not struggle towards the Holy Land If he causes one heart to burn in tears. A deaf man cannot hear what people say, He thinks it's night when it's brightest day, The atheist's eyes are blind to God's way Even though the whole world glitters and glares. The lover's heart is the Creator's throne. God admires and accepts it as his own, The man who breaks a heart shall groan and moan In both worlds, suffering sorrows and cares. You have a self image in your own eyes, Be sure to see others in the same guise. Each of the four holy books clarifies This truth as it applies to man's affairs. We have seen it all: Those who came are gone. Those who once stopped here went back one by one; He must have gulped love's wine if anyone Feels the reality that God's truth bares. |
| Miskinlikte buldular Kimde erlik var ise Merdivenden ittiler Yüksekten bakar ise Gönül yüksekte gezer Dembedem yoldan azar Tas yüzüne su sizar Içinde ne var ise Sagir isitmez sözü Gece sanir gündüzü Kördür münkirin gözü Âlem münevver ise Gönül Çalab'in tahti Gönüle Çalab bakû Iki cihan bedbahti Kim gönül yikar ise Sen sana ne sanirsan Ayruga da onu san Dört kitabin mânâsi Budur eger var ise Bildik gelenler geçmis Konanlar geri göçmüs Ask sarabindan içmis Kim mânâ duyar ise Yûnus yoldan azuban Yüksek yerde durmasin Sinle sirat görmeye Sevdigi didâr ise |
| All men in the whole wide world adore Him whom we adore; How could we deny entry, it's a road or open door? Whatever, whomever we love, our Loved One also loves; Can the friend of our Friend have something to doubt or abhor? If you are a true lover, befriend the friend of the Friend; You would be unfair to your Friend if you stay as you are. If you truly love, sacrifice yourself to all nations So that you may be seen as faithful by the lovers' corps. If you are God's true lover, He will open doors for you; Give up your pride and tear down your crass selfhood to the core. Leader and led, meek and rebel, they are all slaves of God; How can you say to a man: "Leave your house, come out of there." The fact Yunus knows is a word from a hidden treasure: The Friend's lovers pay no heed to this world or the other. |
| Biz kime âsiksavuz âlemler ana âsik Kime degül diyelüm bir kapudur bir tarîk Biz neyi seversevüz ma'sûka ani sever Dostumuzun doshna yad endise ne lâyik Sen gerçek âsikisan dostun doshna dost ol Bu Italde kalurisan dosta degül yarasik Kime az bakarsan asti yüce yirdedür Bun yirinde turana sigini geçer ferik Yitmis iki millete kurbân ol âsikisan Tâ âsiklar safinda tamâm olasin sâdik Sen Hakk'a âsikisan Hak sana kapu açar Ko seni begenmegii varlik evini bir yik Hâs u âm muhi âsî dost kulidur cümlesi Kime eydibilesin gel evünden tasra çik Yûnus'un bu danisi genç-i sözidür Dosta âsik olanlar iki ciliandan fârik |
| Yunus Emre |
 |
| 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 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| If I rub my face on the ground, My new moon would rise in the skies, Winter and summer become spring. To me all days are holidays. Let no cloud cast a tall shadow On the gleaming light of my moon Whose fullness must never grow dim: From earth to sky its glimmer sprays. From the heart's solitary cell Its glitter drives out the darkness. How could that gloom be squeezed into The same cell with the piercing rays? I see my moon right here on earth, What would I do with all the skies? Rains of mercy pour down on me From this ground where I fix my gaze. What if Yunus is a lover Many are the lovers of God. Yunus, too, bows his head, because The lovers of God are ablaze. |