Yunus Emre

The Drop That Became The Sea,

Lyric Poems of Yunus Emre

Yunus Emre (d. 132!", ca##ed $the %reatest fo#& poet in 's#am$ (Ta#at Sait (a#man", )as an
un#ettered Tur&ish shepherd )ho san% mystica# son%s )hich are sti## popu#ar today. (e )as
the first of a )ho#e tradition of Tur&ish Sufi trou*adors )ho san% of the Di+ine Presence, the
Be#o+ed, the ,riend. (is son%s-poems con+ey a profound yet earthy spiritua#ity. (is su*.ect
is the (eart, the point of a)areness )here /od is rea#i0ed in us. $'1+e come to *ui#d some
hearts,$ Yunus sin%s.

2
To *e in #o+e )ith #o+e )ith #o+e is to %ain a sou#,
to sit on the throne of hearts.
To #o+e the )or#d is to *e aff#icted.
Later the secrets start to ma&e sense.
Don1t *e *ram*#e,
*ecome the rose. Let your maturity unfo#d.
The *ram*#es )i## on#y *urn.
Prayer )as created *y /od so man cou#d as& for he#p.
't1s too *ad if you ha+en1t #earned to as&.
3ccept the *reath of those )ho are mature4
#et it *ecome your di+inin% rod.
'f you o*ey your se#f, thin%s turn our )ron%.
5enouncin% the )or#d is the *e%innin% of )orship.
'f you are a *e#ie+er, *e#ie+e this.
5espect your parents and ancestry,
and you )i## ha+e fine %reen c#othes of your o)n.
'f you earn the comp#aints of nei%h*ors,
You1## stay in (e## fore+er.
Yunus heard these )ords from the masters.
'f you need this ad+ice, ta&e it.
They say one )ho is recei+ed *y heart
*ecomes more *eautifu#.
2

Sou# of my sou#,
6ithout You ' ha+e no )or& to do.
'f You are a*sent from Paradise,
' don1t need to %o there.
'f ' #oo&, a## ' see is You.
'f ' spea&, ' spea& of You.
Three is no *etter prey
than You )hom ' secret#y )atch.
Because ' for%ot myse#f,
*ecause ' )ent to You,
in any con+ersation, in e+ery state,
' ha+en1t %ot a moment1s rest.
You can &i## me se+enty times,
and #i&e St. /eor%e, '1## resurrect,
and cra)# *ac& unashamed.
Sho) Your face to Yunus.
(e #o+es You and has no other.

2
' am a father#ess pear# unreco%ni0ed *y the sea.
' am the drop that contains the ocean.
'ts )a+es are ama0in%. 't1s *eautifu# to *e a sea
hidden )ithin an infinity drop.
6hen 7a.nun spo&e Lay#a1s name,
he *ro&e the meter of his poem.
' )as *oth Lay#a and 7a.nun )ho adored her.
7ansur
1
did not spea& id#y of 8nity.
(e )as not &iddin% )hen he said, $' am Truth.$
'n this )or#d of many,
You are 9oseph and ' am 9aco*.
'n the uni+erse of 8nity,
there is neither 9oseph nor :anaan.
That my name is Yunus
is a pro*#em in this materia# )or#d.
But if you as& my rea# name
it is the Po)er *ehind a## po)ers.
3s& those )ho &no)...
3s& those )ho &no),
)hat1s this sou# )ithin the f#esh!
5ea#ity1s o)n po)er.
6hat *#ood fi##s these +eins!
Thou%ht is an errand *oy,
fear a mine of )orries.
These si%hs are #o+e1s c#othin%.
6ho is the ;han on the throne!
/i+e than&s for (is unity.
(e created )hen nothin% e<isted.
3nd since )e are actua##y nothin%,
)hat are possessions, houses, shops!
/od sent us here
to come and see the )or#d.
This )or#d itse#f is not e+er#astin%.
6hat are a## of So#omon1s riches!
3s& Yunus and Taptu&
)hat the )or#d means to them.
The )or#d )on1t #ast.
6hat are You! 6hat am '!
======================================


>h ,riend
>h ,riend, )hen ' *e%an to #o+e You,
my inte##ect )ent and #eft me.
' %a0ed at the ri+ers. ' do+e into the seas.
But a spar& of Lo+e1s fire
can ma&e the seas *oi#.
' fe## in, cau%ht fire, and *urned.
3 sou# in #o+e is free of )orries.
6ith #o+e a## pro*#ems #eft me.
6ith #o+e ' *ecame happy.
6hen the ni%htin%a#e sa) the face
of the red rose, it fe## in #o+e.
' sa) the faces of those )ho matured,
and *ecame a ni%htin%a#e.
' )as a dead tree fa##en onto the path.
6hen a master thre) me a %#ance and
*rou%ht me to #ife.
Yunus, if you are a true #o+er,
hum*#e yourse#f.
(umi#ity )as chosen *y them a##.
=================================================

Those )ho *ecame comp#ete...
Those )ho *ecame comp#ete
didn1t #i+e this #ife in hypocrisy,
didn1t #earn the meanin% of thin%s
*y readin% commentaries.
5ea#ity is an ocean? the La) is a ship.
7any ha+e ne+er #eft the ship,
ne+er .umped into the sea.
They mi%ht ha+e come to 6orship
*ut they stopped at ritua#s.
They ne+er &ne) or entered the 'nside.
Those )ho thin& the ,our Boo&s
)ere meant to *e ta#&ed a*out,
)ho ha+e on#y read e<p#anations
and ne+er entered meanin%,
are rea##y in sin.
Yunus means $true friend$
for one )hose .ourney has *e%un.
8nti# )e transform our @ames,
)e ha+en1t found the 6ay.
================================================

Der+ishood te##s me, you cannot *ecome a der+ish
So )hat can ' te## you! You cannot *ecome a der+ish.
3 der+ish needs a )ounded heart and eyes fu## of tears.
(e needs to *e as easy %oin% as a sheep.
You canAt *e a der+ish.
(e must *e )ithout hands )hen someone hits him.
(e must *e ton%ue#ess )hen cursed.
3 der+ish needs to *e )ithout any desire.
You canAt *e a der+ish.
You ma&e a #ot of sounds )ith your ton%ue, meanin%fu# thin%s.
You %et an%ry a*out this and that.
You canAt *e a der+ish.
'f it )ere a## ri%ht to *e an%ry on this path,
7uhammad himse#f )ou#d ha+e %otten an%ry.
Because of your an%er, you canAt *e a der+ish.
8n#ess you find a rea# path, un#ess you find a %uide,
un#ess Truth %rants you your portion,
you canAt *e a der+ish.
Therefore, der+ish Yunus, come,
di+e into the ocean no) and then.
8n#ess you di+e in the ocean, you cannot *e a der+ish.
The drin& sent do)n from Truth,
)e dran& it, %#ory *e to /od.
3nd )e sai#ed o+er the >cean of Po)er,
%#ory *e to /od.
Beyond those hi##s and oa& )oods,
*eyond those +ineyards and %ardens,
)e passed in hea#th and .oy, %#ory *e to /od.
6e )ere dry, *ut )e moistened,
6e %re) )in%s and *ecame *irds,
)e married one another and f#e),
%#ory *e to /od.
To )hate+er #ands )e came,
in )hate+er hearts, in a## humanity,
)e p#anted the meanin%s Taptu& tau%ht us,
%#ory *e to /od.
:ome here, #etAs ma&e peace,
#etAs not *e stran%ers to one another.
6e ha+e sadd#ed the horse
and trained it, %#ory *e to /od.
6e *ecame a tric&#e that %re) into a ri+er.
6e too& f#i%ht and do+e into the sea,
and then )e o+erf#o)ed, %#ory *e to /od.
6e came do)n to the +a##ey for )inter,
)e did some %ood and some *ad thin%s.
@o) itAs sprin% and )eA## return, %#ory *e to /od.
6e *ecame ser+ants at Taptu&As door.
Poor Yunus, ra) and taste#ess,
fina##y %ot coo&ed, %#ory *e to /od.
Yunus EmreB poems
1.
Der+ishood te##s me, you cannot *ecome a der+ish
So )hat can ' te## you! You cannot *ecome a der+ish.
3 der+ish needs a )ounded heart and eyes fu## of tears.
(e needs to *e as easy%oin% as a sheep 4 you can1t *e a der+ish.
(e must *e )ithout hands )hen someone hits him, )ithout ton%ue )hen cursed?
the der+ish shou#d *e )ithout se#f C you cannot *e a der+ish.
You ma&e a #ot of sounds )ith your ton%ue, meanin%fu# thin%s
you %et an%ry a*out this and that 4 you can1t *e a der+ish.
'f it )ere a## ri%ht to *e an%ry on this path,
7uhammad himse#f )ou#d ha+e %ot an%ry
3s #on% as you ta&e offence, you cannot *e a der+ish.
8n#ess you find a rea# path, un#ess you find a %uide,
un#ess Truth %rants you your portion, you can1t *e a der+ish.
Der+ish Yunus, come, di+e into the ocean no) and then,
un#ess you di+e into the ocean, you cannot *e a der+ish.1


2.
Those )ho #earned to *e tru#y human
found e+erythin% in *ein% hum*#e
)hi#e those )ho #oo&ed proud#y from a*o+e
)ere pushed do)n the stairs.
3 heart that must a#)ays fee# superior
)i## one day #ose its )ay.
6hat shou#d *e )ithin #ea&s out.
1
The Drop that *ecame the Sea, trans. (e#mins&i and 3#%an (1DED", p. 2D? /o#pinar#F, p. 33G
The o#d man )ith the )hite *eard
ne+er sees the state he1s in.
(e needn1t )aste money on ma&in% the (a..
if he1s *ro&en someone1s heart.
The heart is the seat of /od, )here /od is a)are.
You )on1t find happiness in either )or#d if you *rea& a heart...
6hate+er you thin& of yourse#f, thin& the same of others.
'f the ,our Boo&s ha+e any meanin%, this is it.
7ay Yunus not stray from the path
or %et on his hi%h horse
may the %ra+e and the 9ud%ment *e no concern
if )hat he #o+es is the face of /od. 2


3.
6e dran& )ine at the hands of a cup4*earer )hose ta+ern is hi%her than the hea+en#y throne
)e are drun&ards of the cup4*earer, our sou#s are (is )inecup.
(ere those )ho constant#y *urn are )ho##y transformed into #i%ht
that fire is un#i&e any fireB there are no f#ames to *e seen.
Those drun& in this assem*#y on#y sin%B ' am Truth?
#i&e a hundred (a##a.s, the #o)#iest of them is mad.
'n that assem*#y of ours the heart is the &e*a*?
of that cand#e )hich *urns in us, the sun and moon are moths.
The drun&ards of that assem*#y are #i&e '*rahim *. 3dham?
in a sin%#e corner are as many as a hundred thousand in the city of Ba#&h.
:ome, ta&e a #oo& at those )ho ha+e drun& the )ine of Lo+e?
in so many years, ho) often the )ine4cup has made its rounds.
2
Drop, p. H. YunusB do not utter these )ords of rapture to the i%norant?
don1t you &no) the time of the i%norant )i## pass!3


G.
>ur #a)s are different from other #a)s
our re#i%ion is #i&e no other.
't is different from the se+enty4t)o sects
)e are %uided *y different si%ns,
in this )or#d and hereafter.
6ithout the c#eansin% of +isi*#e )aters,
)ithout any mo+ement of hands, feet or head C
)e )orship
6hether at the ;a1*a, in the mosIue or in ritua# prayer
e+eryone carries their o)n disease.
6hich #a*e#s refer to )hom, no4one rea##y &no)s
tomorro) it )i## *e c#ear )ho a*andoned the re#i%ion.
Yunus, rene) your sou#, *e remem*ered as a friend
&no) this po)er, #isten )ith the ears of #o+e.G



3
/o#pinar#F, p. 313, ('stan*u#, 1DE1" :JK'''
G
Drop, p. 2L, /o#pinar#F :JLK L.
7y #o+e for You %oes deeper than my o)n sou#
my )ay amounts to thisB ' don1t say '1m inside myse#f.
'1m not. The ' )ithin me is deeper than myse#f.
3ny)here ' #oo& it1s fi##ed )ith You.
6here can ' put You if You1re a#ready inside!
You are Beauty, )ithout features? somethin% deeper than any si%ns.
Don1t as& me a*out myse#f. '1m not inside.
7y *ody )a#&s, '1m c#othed, yet empty.
' can1t #ay a hand on the >ne )ho too& me from myse#f.
You can1t %o o+er the head of the Boss.
Some peop#e %et their share of re+e#ations,
and some peop#e %o deeper than this.
'n the *eautifu# #i%ht of (is face
is a fire *ri%hter than the #i%ht of day.
6hat a sufferin% it is, that1s deeper than any remedy.
The La) and the Brotherhood are paths,
Truth and 6isdom are sti## deeper.
They say So#omon &ne) the #an%ua%e of *irds,
)ithin So#omon is a deeper So#omon.
'1+e for%otten re#i%ion and piety?
)hat if there1s a doctrine deeper than re#i%ion!
The )or&s of those )ho #ea+e the faith are *#asphemy.
6hat a*out a *#asphemy that %oes deeper than faith!
Yunus chanced to met a ,riend
)ho sho)ed him a door inside.L

L
Drop, p. 3M? /o#pinar#F, :JJK, se+erim *en candan iNeri H.
The Truth fi##s the )or#d
*ut to )hom is Truth &no)n!
You as& so much of 't,
*ut 't isn1t separate from yourse#f.
You *e#ie+e in the )or#d
you c#aim your dai#y *read as your o)n
ho) #on% )i## you &eep up the #ie!
you &no) it1s not #i&e that.
't1s a #on% )ay to the other )or#d
*e honest )ith yourse#f
throu%h a## the separation and painfu# yearnin%
those )ho attain do not return.
Those )ho come to the )or#d )i##
one *y one drin& the .uce of death
this )or#d is .ust a *rid%e
a#thou%h the youn% )ou#dn1t %uess it.
:ome, #et us %et to &no) each other,
#et us ma&e our )or& easier
Let us #o+e and *e #o+ed
no4one inherits this )or#d.
Yunus, if you can understand
if you can hear the meanin%
find a #itt#e happiness
no4one1s here fore+er.H



H
Drop, p. MD? /o#pinar#F, ::LJ', ha& cihOna do#udur &imsene (a&&Ai *i#me0 M.
To *e a s#a+e to a &in% )ho can ne+er *e dethroned,
to #ean on a threshho#d )hence none can *e )rested,
to *e a *ird and f#y to a far4off p#ace
to drin& of a )ine from )hich there is no so*erin%
to *e a stron% s)immer and p#un%e into the sea
to *rin% out a .e)e# that no .e)e##er &no)s
to enter a %arden and ta&e p#easure
to sniff a rose that ne+er fades,
man must *e a #o+er, find his *e#o+ed
*urn in the fire of #o+e and in no other.
Yunus, desist from thou%ht of e<istence,
turn your face in )orship
Brin% a man #i&e your true se#f,
)hose #i&e the )or#d can ne+er &no).