Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, by Rumi — Analysis & Translation

Original Poem

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about. Ideas, language, even the phrase “each other” doesn’t make any sense.

Translation (English)

Beyond the ideas of right and wrong, there's a field. I'll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about. Ideas, language, even saying 'each other' doesn't make sense.

About the Poet

Rumi (13th century)

Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī, commonly known as Rumi, was a 13th-century Persian poet, Sufi mystic, and founder of the Mevlevi Order. His works, including the Masnavi, are considered some of the greatest in Persian literature and mystic poetry. Rumi's influence extends globally, and he is one of the most popular poets in the world today.

Historical Context

Literary Form: Mystic poetry
When Written: 13th century
Background: Rumi's poetry often explores themes of spirituality, love, and the transcendence of the soul beyond the material world. This poem reflects his Sufi beliefs, emphasizing unity and the dissolution of dualities such as right and wrong.

Sources: https://poetrysociety.org/poetry-in-motion/out-beyond-ideas-of-wrongdoing-and-rightdoing, https://medium.com/@arihonarvar/beyond-right-doing-and-wrong-doing-cb6eddbcc7e4, https://sacredpoetryworkshop.com/out-beyond-ideas-of-wrongdoing-and-rightdoing-by-rumi/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumi

Detailed Explanation

This poem by Rumi speaks to the idea of transcending the dualities of right and wrong. The 'field' represents a spiritual space beyond judgment and conflict, where souls can connect on a deeper level. Rumi invites the reader to meet in this place of unity and peace. When the soul is in this state, worldly concerns and language become irrelevant, as the experience of unity is beyond words. The poem reflects Rumi's Sufi beliefs, emphasizing the dissolution of ego and the embrace of universal love and understanding. It suggests that true connection and understanding occur beyond the limitations of language and societal constructs.

Themes

Literary Devices

Word Dictionary

Word	Meaning	Translation	Transliteration
wrongdoing	bad actions	bad things people do	wrong-do-ing
rightdoing	good actions	good things people do	right-do-ing
field	open area	a large open space, often grassy	feeld
soul	spirit	the spiritual or immaterial part of a person	sohl
lies down	rests	to recline or rest in a flat position	lyz down
grass	green plants	plants with narrow leaves, covering the ground	grass
full	complete	filled up	fool
phrase	expression	a small group of words standing together	frayz
sense	meaning	a coherent meaning or understanding	sens

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