Advent Hope - Art and Soul 12

Today's Art and Soul offering was suggested by Sabina Singh, local luminary, scholar-activist, and politician. It's an untitled work by Rumi from a collection called Hidden Music, translated by Maryam Mafi & Azima Melita Kolin. 

Last night Love found me shouting, mad
and beyond myself, and said:
‘I am here, why are you worried and afraid?’
O Love, I am overwhelmed with fear.
‘Be silent, let me whisper a secret in your ear,
just not your head and don’t say a word.’

Oh how delicate, how subtle is the path of love!
This most precious Moon-like beauty appeared to me!

My heart, is this the Moon or my imagination?
‘Be silent, it is not for you to understand.
Don’t you see you have been blessed?’
But what is this, the face of an angel or a man?

‘Be silent, what you see is beyond angels or men.’
But what is it, tell me, or I will go out of my mind.
‘Do not torment yourself, leave this house of illusions
and say no more.’
‘O please,’ I begged, ‘tell me, is this the face of God?’
My heart nodded silently.

Rumi