Heartache - A Poem by Rumi

Learn from the Prophet an alchemy: Whatever God gives you, be content.

At the very moment you become content in affliction, the door of paradise will open.

If the messenger of heartache comes to you, embrace him like a friend!

A cruelty that comes from the Beloved -- bestow upon it a warm welcome!

Then that heartache can throw off its veil, rain down sugar, and be gentle and heart-ravishing.

Seize the edge of heartache's veil, for she is beautiful but deceptive.

In this lane, I am the whoremonger, I -- I have pulled off the veil from every beautiful face.

They all put on ugly veils so that you will think they are dragons.

But I am fed up with my spirit -- I worship dragons! If you are fed up with your spirit, then hear their calls of welcome!

Heartache can never find me without laughter -- I call the pain the "cure."

Nothing is more blessed than heartache, for its reward has no end.

If you do not show your manliness, you will find nothing. I will be silent, lest a mistake jump from my mouth.

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Divan-i Shams-i Tabrizi, poem 2675, from W. C. Chittick, "The Sufi Path of Love: The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi," (State University of New York Press, 1983), pp. 293-4.