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Music of a Distant Drum: Classical Arabic, Persian, Turkish & Hebrew Poems
Also includes poems by:
* Yahyā of Tashlija
* Yehuda ha-Levi
* Yehuda al-Harīzī
* Yūnus Emre
Music of a Distant Drum marks a literary milestone. It collects 129 poems from the four leading literary traditions of the Middle East, all masterfully translated into English by Bernard Lewis, many for the first time. These poems come from diverse languages and traditions--Arabic, Persian, Turkish, and Hebrew--and span more than a thousand years. Together they provide a fascinating and unusual window into Middle Eastern history. Lewis, one of the world's greatest authorities on the region's culture and history, reveals verses of startling beauty, ranging from panegyric and satire to religious poetry and lyrics about wine, women, and love.
Bernard Lewis, one of the world's greatest authorities on the region's culture and history, offers a work of startling beauty that leaves no doubt as to why such poets were courted by kings in their day. Like those in the "Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam," the poems here--as ensured by Lewis's mastery of all the source languages and his impeccable style and taste--come fully alive in English. They are surprising and sensuous, disarmingly witty and frank. They provide a fascinating and unusual glimpse into Middle Eastern history. Above all, they are a pleasure to read.They range from panegyric and satire to religious poetry and lyrics about wine, women, and love. Lewis begins with an introduction on the place of poets and poetry in Middle Eastern history and concludes with biographical notes on all the poets.
This treasure trove of verse is aptly summed up by a quote from the ninth-century Arab author Ibn Qutayba: "Poetry is the mine of knowledge of the Arabs, the book of their wisdom, the muster roll of their history, the repository of their great days, the rampart protecting their heritage, the trench defending their glories, the truthful witness on the day of dispute, the final proof at the time of argument."
In one hand the Qur'vn, in the other a wineglass,
Sometimes keeping the rules, sometimes breaking them.
Here we are in this world, unripe and raw,
Not outright heathens, not quite Muslims.
--"Mujir" (12th century)
* Yahyā of Tashlija
* Yehuda ha-Levi
* Yehuda al-Harīzī
* Yūnus Emre
Music of a Distant Drum marks a literary milestone. It collects 129 poems from the four leading literary traditions of the Middle East, all masterfully translated into English by Bernard Lewis, many for the first time. These poems come from diverse languages and traditions--Arabic, Persian, Turkish, and Hebrew--and span more than a thousand years. Together they provide a fascinating and unusual window into Middle Eastern history. Lewis, one of the world's greatest authorities on the region's culture and history, reveals verses of startling beauty, ranging from panegyric and satire to religious poetry and lyrics about wine, women, and love.
Bernard Lewis, one of the world's greatest authorities on the region's culture and history, offers a work of startling beauty that leaves no doubt as to why such poets were courted by kings in their day. Like those in the "Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam," the poems here--as ensured by Lewis's mastery of all the source languages and his impeccable style and taste--come fully alive in English. They are surprising and sensuous, disarmingly witty and frank. They provide a fascinating and unusual glimpse into Middle Eastern history. Above all, they are a pleasure to read.They range from panegyric and satire to religious poetry and lyrics about wine, women, and love. Lewis begins with an introduction on the place of poets and poetry in Middle Eastern history and concludes with biographical notes on all the poets.
This treasure trove of verse is aptly summed up by a quote from the ninth-century Arab author Ibn Qutayba: "Poetry is the mine of knowledge of the Arabs, the book of their wisdom, the muster roll of their history, the repository of their great days, the rampart protecting their heritage, the trench defending their glories, the truthful witness on the day of dispute, the final proof at the time of argument."
In one hand the Qur'vn, in the other a wineglass,
Sometimes keeping the rules, sometimes breaking them.
Here we are in this world, unripe and raw,
Not outright heathens, not quite Muslims.
--"Mujir" (12th century)
232 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2001
5 people are currently reading
260 people want to read
About the author
Bernard Lewis
190 books499 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Bernard Lewis was the Cleveland E. Dodge Professor of Near Eastern Studies Emeritus at Princeton University and the author of many critially acclaimed and bestselling books, including two number one New York Times bestsellers: What Went Wrong? and Crisis of Islam. The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. Internationally recognized as the greatest historian of the Middle East, he received fifteen honorary doctorates and his books have been translated into more than twenty languages.
Bernard Lewis was the Cleveland E. Dodge Professor of Near Eastern Studies Emeritus at Princeton University and the author of many critially acclaimed and bestselling books, including two number one New York Times bestsellers: What Went Wrong? and Crisis of Islam. The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. Internationally recognized as the greatest historian of the Middle East, he received fifteen honorary doctorates and his books have been translated into more than twenty languages.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 27, 2013
This is a very nice, compact sampler of poetry from the near east. Muslim poets, like Hafiz, Rumi, Attar, and al-Hallaj; and Jewish poets, like Hanagid, ibn Gabirol, and Halevi. The translator, Bernard Lewis, is a western scholar of Near East studies, and his perspectives have come under criticism in recent years for representing an older "Orientalist" world view that can be used to support continued western domination of the region. But this collection of poems is free from that wrangling. Questions of social and academic politics aside, there is an elegance to Lewis's poetry translations in this collection. Recommended.
March 18, 2014
With a caravan of cloths I left Sistan
with cloths spun from the heart, woven from the soul
cloths made of a silk which is called Word
cloths designed by an artist who is called Tongue
every stitch was drawn by force from the breast
every weft separated in torment from the heart.
These are not woven cloths like any cloth
do not judge them in the same way as others...
This is no cloth that can be spoilt by water
this is no cloth that can be damaged by fire
its colour is not destroyed by the earth's dust
nor its design effaced by the passing of time.
--Farrukhi (d.1037), native of Sistan, poet at the court of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna.
with cloths spun from the heart, woven from the soul
cloths made of a silk which is called Word
cloths designed by an artist who is called Tongue
every stitch was drawn by force from the breast
every weft separated in torment from the heart.
These are not woven cloths like any cloth
do not judge them in the same way as others...
This is no cloth that can be spoilt by water
this is no cloth that can be damaged by fire
its colour is not destroyed by the earth's dust
nor its design effaced by the passing of time.
--Farrukhi (d.1037), native of Sistan, poet at the court of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna.
January 23, 2019
If not something I would regularly read nor a favourite of mine, this was somewhat fascinating. I've read very little translated poetry, let alone centuries old poetry!, and a glimpse into the lives and the heart and the history of these cultures and individuals from so long ago is really quite intriging.
To be honest though, much of what these poets wrote about is pretty eternal. Which honestly was part of the fun. Wine, women, and religion are the predominant topics, with wine giving me the greatest amusement, seeing as how the majority of the authors would have been forbidden imbibing due to...religion. Which in a way also applies to much of what was going on in the 'women' themed poems, but it didn't tickle my funny bone nearly as much. Maybe because the poets were as enthusiastic regarding the wine as they were the women and reading someone wax dramatically about their favorite (not to mention forbidden) beverage really just spoke to me.
Preferred the Persian poems best, with the Hebrew in close second.
To be honest though, much of what these poets wrote about is pretty eternal. Which honestly was part of the fun. Wine, women, and religion are the predominant topics, with wine giving me the greatest amusement, seeing as how the majority of the authors would have been forbidden imbibing due to...religion. Which in a way also applies to much of what was going on in the 'women' themed poems, but it didn't tickle my funny bone nearly as much. Maybe because the poets were as enthusiastic regarding the wine as they were the women and reading someone wax dramatically about their favorite (not to mention forbidden) beverage really just spoke to me.
Preferred the Persian poems best, with the Hebrew in close second.
July 16, 2016
I'd rarely say a book is a "must read" for anyone--but this one is a must read for anyone interested in Persian, Arabic, Turkish or Hebrew poetry--if only for the introduction in which Lewis makes links between the cultures and linguistic history of each poetic traditions you don't usually get from a modern translator. Exquisite little book.
August 18, 2018
With a title taken from a Khayyám quatrain, I was hooked before I started.
There is much in here that is wonderful, and much that I simply don't understand. Whether the latter is due to a lack of cultural and religious understanding, or a more general poetetic (is that a word?) dullness on my part, I'm not sure. Nevertheless, a thoroughly enjoyable and re-readable anthology, spanning centuries, cultures and countries.
There is much in here that is wonderful, and much that I simply don't understand. Whether the latter is due to a lack of cultural and religious understanding, or a more general poetetic (is that a word?) dullness on my part, I'm not sure. Nevertheless, a thoroughly enjoyable and re-readable anthology, spanning centuries, cultures and countries.
May 5, 2018
I really liked the idea behind the book and was very excited to read it. But the selection of poems were very underwhelming. And I can say this with more confident regarding poets whose work I am familiar with. I don't think the poems for example by Hafiz are his best.
February 19, 2024
Beautiful!!!
Bernard Lewis offers a captivating journey through the rich tapestry of classical Arabian, Persian, Turkish, and Hebrew poetry. In this meticulously curated collection, Lewis showcases the beauty, depth, and cultural significance of these classical poetic traditions, offering readers a profound glimpse into the hearts and minds of the poets who shaped the literary landscape of the Middle East.
One of the book's strengths lies in its breadth and diversity. Lewis skillfully selects poems from a wide range of time periods and regions, providing readers with a comprehensive overview of the various poetic styles and themes that have emerged throughout the centuries. From the mystical verses of Rumi to the passionate odes of Ibn al-Farid, each poem offers a unique perspective on love, faith, wisdom, nature, valour, the scared, the profane, and the human experience.
Lewis also provides insightful commentary in footnotes that adds valuable context and interpretation, enhancing readers' understanding and appreciation of the poems. His expertise in Middle Eastern history and literature shines through, offering nuanced insights into the cultural and historical contexts in which these poems were written.
Bernard Lewis offers a captivating journey through the rich tapestry of classical Arabian, Persian, Turkish, and Hebrew poetry. In this meticulously curated collection, Lewis showcases the beauty, depth, and cultural significance of these classical poetic traditions, offering readers a profound glimpse into the hearts and minds of the poets who shaped the literary landscape of the Middle East.
One of the book's strengths lies in its breadth and diversity. Lewis skillfully selects poems from a wide range of time periods and regions, providing readers with a comprehensive overview of the various poetic styles and themes that have emerged throughout the centuries. From the mystical verses of Rumi to the passionate odes of Ibn al-Farid, each poem offers a unique perspective on love, faith, wisdom, nature, valour, the scared, the profane, and the human experience.
Lewis also provides insightful commentary in footnotes that adds valuable context and interpretation, enhancing readers' understanding and appreciation of the poems. His expertise in Middle Eastern history and literature shines through, offering nuanced insights into the cultural and historical contexts in which these poems were written.
January 9, 2019
For those who want to gain credibility as experts in a given field, this book is a good example of how to do so. How does Lewis do it? Well, he translates a series of poems from four different linguistic traditions in the Middle East and does so with considerable sensitivity and skill, demonstrating his breadth of knowledge concerning the cultures of the Middle East. He does so without bragging, without being flamboyant about his knowledge, but demonstrating the sort of competence that others could only dream of. And he does so in a way that shows his humanity as well, taking a wide range of poets whose concerns show the broad scope of Near Eastern poetry from the rise of Islam onward, perhaps even including some pre-Muslim poets who were remembered in later ages, and certainly showing the sort of poets who deserve to be remembered here. The writers included here are ones whose works are worth knowing even in translation, and they not only provide evidence of the author's own awareness of the worth of Near Eastern culture but also demonstrate that there is a tradition of worthwhile poetry that has lasted in cultures whose present achievements do not appear very impressive to many people.
After a somewhat lengthy introduction that shows the importance of poetry to the world of the Near East even up to the present time, and demonstrates as well his own personal exposure to this longstanding poetic tradition, the author divides this work into the translation of four different languages of poetry within the Near East. First comes the poems from the Arabic, and these include a few poems by a noted African descendant of a slave-woman whose poems point out the tension between religious and ethnic and social identity in the medieval Arab world. After this comes Persian poems, which demonstrate the survival of the culture of that region despite a considerable period of Arab and a continuing period of Muslim domination. Following this there are Turkish poems that point out that even the newest of the major cultures in the Near East have a great deal of worth in their poetic tradition, dealing with questions of love and politics. And finally the author includes some medieval Hebrew poetry that shows the immense worth of that often-neglected culture as it survived under Muslim rule and demonstrated its own intense creativity. Between the various sections there is artwork that is related to the cultures in question, which add to the worth of this little volume of a bit more than 200 pages, which is closed with notes about the poets, an appendix, a note on transcription, source notes, and illustration credits.
This is a worthwhile book on a variety of levels. For one, the poetry itself is easy to appreciate. Even in cases where the poets are engaged in activities that are immoral and not worth endorsing, such as poets bragging about the ease of their finding diverse and sometimes inappropriate lovers, most of the poems tend towards the dignified, as the authors wonder about the impermanence of life or the problems of aging, and where one poet comments on a spectacularly unsuccessful effort at wooing a palace beauty with his poetry where he insults him for his ugliness and is not impressed. The humanity that is showed by these poems points out that at least among those who are creative and literary that there is a great deal of understanding of immensely important issues of life and humanity. It is to be regretted that these poets have seldom been rulers, and that the insight gained through witty lines has not led to more humane behavior on the part of those societies from which the poets came. These poets, as is often the case with creative people, show a degree of insight that is not often translated into showing humanity to others.
After a somewhat lengthy introduction that shows the importance of poetry to the world of the Near East even up to the present time, and demonstrates as well his own personal exposure to this longstanding poetic tradition, the author divides this work into the translation of four different languages of poetry within the Near East. First comes the poems from the Arabic, and these include a few poems by a noted African descendant of a slave-woman whose poems point out the tension between religious and ethnic and social identity in the medieval Arab world. After this comes Persian poems, which demonstrate the survival of the culture of that region despite a considerable period of Arab and a continuing period of Muslim domination. Following this there are Turkish poems that point out that even the newest of the major cultures in the Near East have a great deal of worth in their poetic tradition, dealing with questions of love and politics. And finally the author includes some medieval Hebrew poetry that shows the immense worth of that often-neglected culture as it survived under Muslim rule and demonstrated its own intense creativity. Between the various sections there is artwork that is related to the cultures in question, which add to the worth of this little volume of a bit more than 200 pages, which is closed with notes about the poets, an appendix, a note on transcription, source notes, and illustration credits.
This is a worthwhile book on a variety of levels. For one, the poetry itself is easy to appreciate. Even in cases where the poets are engaged in activities that are immoral and not worth endorsing, such as poets bragging about the ease of their finding diverse and sometimes inappropriate lovers, most of the poems tend towards the dignified, as the authors wonder about the impermanence of life or the problems of aging, and where one poet comments on a spectacularly unsuccessful effort at wooing a palace beauty with his poetry where he insults him for his ugliness and is not impressed. The humanity that is showed by these poems points out that at least among those who are creative and literary that there is a great deal of understanding of immensely important issues of life and humanity. It is to be regretted that these poets have seldom been rulers, and that the insight gained through witty lines has not led to more humane behavior on the part of those societies from which the poets came. These poets, as is often the case with creative people, show a degree of insight that is not often translated into showing humanity to others.
May 11, 2015
[Book #6] Bernard Lewis, 96, is arguably the world's greatest historian on the Middle East, and I've read many of his scholarly tomes as my college texts and "extra" reading. But somehow this book of his poetry translations had escaped me for 14 years...and I'm thrilled to have finally found this gem. Although the poems are not as well known as others from these regions, some of the poets themselves are quite prominent. Also includes a wonderful introduction, illustrations from the times of the poets, and a short bio for each poet. Topics range from the bawdy to the divine with lengths from 2 lines to 2 pages. Borrowed this from the local library, but am thinking I need to get a copy of my own to reread at moment's notice. Here are just a few of the poems that I particularly enjoyed...
War begins like a pretty girl
with whom every man wants to flirt
and ends like an ugly old woman
whose visitors suffer and weep.
~ Samuel ha-Nagid (Hebrew, 993-1056)
A cloud, heavy with water,
came swaying astride the winds,
streamed through the night,
gushed and surged like blood from a wound.
The sky, revealed at dawn amid its stars,
seemed like a meadow of violets, moist with dew
and burgeoning camomile flowers.
~ Ibn al-Mu'tazz (Arabic, 861-908)
Kisses are like salt water:
the more you drink, the more you thirst.
~ Rudagi (Persian, ?-940)
Woman, they say, is deficient in sense
so they ought to pardon her every word.
But one female who knows what to do
is better than a thousand males who don't.
~ Mihri Hatun (Turkish, ?-1506)
Though my master speaks ill of me,
I shall not mar my face with pain.
I shall speak nothing but good of him
so that we may both be seen as liars.
~ Kamaluddin Isma'il Isfahani (Persian, 1172-1237)
One gray hair appeared on my head;
I plucked it out with my hand.
It answered me: "You have prevailed against me alone--
What will you do when my army comes after me?"
~ Yehuda ha-Levi (Hebrew, 1080-1140)
With a caravan of cloths I left Sistan,
with cloths spun from the heart, woven from the soul.
Cloths made of a silk which is called Word,
cloths designed by an artist who is called Tongue.
Every stitch was drawn by force from the breast,
every weft separated in torment from the heart.
These are not woven cloths like any cloth;
do not judge them in the same way as others...
This is no cloth that can be spoilt by water,
this is no cloth that can be damaged by fire.
Its colour is not destroyed by the earth's dust
nor its design effaced by the passing of time.
~ Farrukhi (Persian, ?-1037)
War begins like a pretty girl
with whom every man wants to flirt
and ends like an ugly old woman
whose visitors suffer and weep.
~ Samuel ha-Nagid (Hebrew, 993-1056)
A cloud, heavy with water,
came swaying astride the winds,
streamed through the night,
gushed and surged like blood from a wound.
The sky, revealed at dawn amid its stars,
seemed like a meadow of violets, moist with dew
and burgeoning camomile flowers.
~ Ibn al-Mu'tazz (Arabic, 861-908)
Kisses are like salt water:
the more you drink, the more you thirst.
~ Rudagi (Persian, ?-940)
Woman, they say, is deficient in sense
so they ought to pardon her every word.
But one female who knows what to do
is better than a thousand males who don't.
~ Mihri Hatun (Turkish, ?-1506)
Though my master speaks ill of me,
I shall not mar my face with pain.
I shall speak nothing but good of him
so that we may both be seen as liars.
~ Kamaluddin Isma'il Isfahani (Persian, 1172-1237)
One gray hair appeared on my head;
I plucked it out with my hand.
It answered me: "You have prevailed against me alone--
What will you do when my army comes after me?"
~ Yehuda ha-Levi (Hebrew, 1080-1140)
With a caravan of cloths I left Sistan,
with cloths spun from the heart, woven from the soul.
Cloths made of a silk which is called Word,
cloths designed by an artist who is called Tongue.
Every stitch was drawn by force from the breast,
every weft separated in torment from the heart.
These are not woven cloths like any cloth;
do not judge them in the same way as others...
This is no cloth that can be spoilt by water,
this is no cloth that can be damaged by fire.
Its colour is not destroyed by the earth's dust
nor its design effaced by the passing of time.
~ Farrukhi (Persian, ?-1037)
October 6, 2022
One grey hair appeared on my head
I plucked it out with my hand.
It answered me: “You have prevailed against me alone—
What will you do when my army comes after me?”
–Yehuda Halevi
I used to shun my companion
if his religion was not like mine;
but now my heart accepts every form.
It is a pasturage for gazelles, a monastery for monks,
a temple of idols, a Ka'ba for the pilgrim,
the tables of the Torah, the holy book of the Qur'an.
Love alone is my religion, and whichever way
its horses turn, that is my faith and creed.
–Anonymous
In one hand the Qur'an, in the other a wineglass,
sometimes keeping the rules, sometimes breaking them.
Here we are in the world, unripe and raw,
not outright heathens, not quite Muslims.
–Mujir
November 11, 2019
This collection of poems was fascinating. When you read this, you are able to taste the flavors of the poetry that span the centuries in these four languages and cultures. The Arabic poems are intensely passionate. The Persian poems have moments of passion and moments of insight. The Turkish poems are rich in imagery and slightly self-mocking, and the Hebrew poems are tender. Love, wine, and praise to God or Allah are significant poems. Of them, I preferred the insightful Persian and Hebrew, in particular this one from Persian:
From evening till morning the fleas were dancing
to the fluting of the gnats
around on my body--and I joined with them merrily,
scratching the harp.
From evening till morning the fleas were dancing
to the fluting of the gnats
around on my body--and I joined with them merrily,
scratching the harp.
Read
February 6, 2012This is an absolutely beautiful collection of poetry, which also includes a fascinating introduction to Middle Eastern poetry by the translator. If you've read a bit of Rumi or Hafiz and want to see who else might interest you, this is your book. The inclusion of the Hebrew poets, and the translator's rationale behind their inclusion, is welcomed and of note.
June 19, 2009
An unexpected find. Elegant and very lovely translations of Arabic, Turkish, Persian, and Hebrew poetry by one of the last of the old school of Orientalist scholars. Worth having, worth reading aloud.
July 1, 2014
5-stars. Cannot wait to read again. One of the the best lesser-known work by Lewis!
April 27, 2018
Some compelling works, some beauty and some strange and confusing messages. An interesting blend of personalities from the past.
September 13, 2023
Buku berkulit lembut yang dibeli atas talian ini berkisar mengenai beberapa cuplikan puisi dari empat bahasa dan budaya yang berbeza – Arab, Turki, Parsi dan Hebrew. Penulis ada memetik beberapa puisi Rumi, al-Hallaj, Hafiz, Attar, Ferdowsi, Yunus Emre dan Sa’adi.
Usai sahaja menamatkan bacaan buku ini, terdapat tiga inti menarik yang diutarakan oleh penulis:
1. Sebelum kemunculan era percetakan, puisi-puisi pada asalnya dihafal, dibaca dan dinyanyikan di majlis keramaian atau diraja.
2. (Selain Taha Husain), Abu ‘Ala al-Ma‘arri juga merupakan seorang yang buta tetapi mampu menghasilkan penulisan bertaraf sarjana terutamanya dalam bidang filologi dan retorik sehingga mempengaruhi penulisan Dante dalam Divine Comedy.
3. Kebijaksanaan seseorang individu terletak pada mata penanya seperti yang tertera dalam puisi dari ranah Hebrew ini:
“Man’s wisdom is in his writing
his mind at the tip of his pen
with his pen he can reach as high
as a king with his scepter.”
– Samuel ha-Nagid
Usai sahaja menamatkan bacaan buku ini, terdapat tiga inti menarik yang diutarakan oleh penulis:
1. Sebelum kemunculan era percetakan, puisi-puisi pada asalnya dihafal, dibaca dan dinyanyikan di majlis keramaian atau diraja.
2. (Selain Taha Husain), Abu ‘Ala al-Ma‘arri juga merupakan seorang yang buta tetapi mampu menghasilkan penulisan bertaraf sarjana terutamanya dalam bidang filologi dan retorik sehingga mempengaruhi penulisan Dante dalam Divine Comedy.
3. Kebijaksanaan seseorang individu terletak pada mata penanya seperti yang tertera dalam puisi dari ranah Hebrew ini:
“Man’s wisdom is in his writing
his mind at the tip of his pen
with his pen he can reach as high
as a king with his scepter.”
– Samuel ha-Nagid
April 12, 2023
In the introduction, the translator explains both the choices and difficulties of translation, as well as historical context. The poems themselves were lovely.
September 9, 2022
truly beautifully.
March 28, 2017
Poetry in translation is always hard, but these still read like poems.
My favorite poem was the one listed on the back cover -- Qu'ran in one hand, wine glass in another.
I was surprised by how personal some of the poems were -- they were about the poet himself. The ones about getting old were funny in several cases. I liked the one that said he dyes his hair black because black is the color of mourning.
Several of the Hebrew poems reminded me of Psalms.
My favorite poem was the one listed on the back cover -- Qu'ran in one hand, wine glass in another.
I was surprised by how personal some of the poems were -- they were about the poet himself. The ones about getting old were funny in several cases. I liked the one that said he dyes his hair black because black is the color of mourning.
Several of the Hebrew poems reminded me of Psalms.
April 4, 2017
An excellent overview and introduction to older poetry and poets of the Mideast and Central Asia. While some poems lose momentum or impact due to the vagaries of translation, it provides an excellent jumping off point for the reader to explore poetry and poets not found in western canon.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews