Customer Reviews

Teachings of Rumi

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I want to thank Andrew Harvey for offering a collection of Rumi that is grouped in such a way as to be really accessible to both the student of Rumi, as well as the new-comer. I found his clear presentation refreshing. This book has been a spiritual learning tool - a path to go down - with out the usual barrage of "opinions" by the editor. It is presented in such a way as to allow the reader to "just take the journey" without being swayed to believe that the passages mean anything else than the reader wants or needs them to mean. I am greatful that Harvey was able to show restraint and offer this clear- joyous collection - while feeling confident enough to leave the rest up to the reader.

This may not be that Bad of a translation; however, Harvey brings it down, that is, he takes something away from Rumi in order to present it to the reader. This is why it seems so much like an interpretation. True, a certain amount of interpretation seems to be required when translating such works, so maybe Harvey's just doesn't work or is missing something. Again, it's as if he "dummies" it down. It's as if Harvey thinks the beauty of the poetry is more in it's english poetic-ness (rhyme, etc.) than in what Rumi is pointing at. This can create a problem in translating works, especially when the Need to be poetic supercedes the content. I don't mean that the poetry is secondary; it's of equal importance to the actual translation, the medium is often the message; however, it seem in Harvey's effort to make it English-passing as poetry (almost like sonnets) he neglects to make a good, solid translation. For a much, much better reading, get the superior translation by A.J. Arberry. It's probably the best english translation out there. Of course, the best authority is to ask a REAL Sufi and see what he/she thinks.

While knowing some beauty is lost through the translation from Rumi's native language, as a westerner who speaks only english I am so grateful to the author for a very accessable translation of the Master's Wisdom.

Maybe Divine Love speaks for itself, but as a spiritual journeyer I was deeply comforted by the obvious 'rites of passage' and inherent 'Truth' of Rumi's Teachings.