My life came and went

By Yunus Emre


My life came and went

like the wind, between the opening

and closing of an eye.

As Truth is my witness 

the soul is the body’s guest.

A day is going to come when 

like a bird, it flies out of the cage.


The poor sons of Adam have sown 

their seeds across the earth.

Some grew and some were lost.

My insides burn in this world, 

my essence is afire. Some die young, 

cut down like wheat still green.


If you visit the sick

or bring someone water, 

tomorrow you’ll be served 

the wine of Truth.

If you give your clothes

to the poor, tomorrow 

you’ll be wearing astral clothes.

Yunus Emre, they say only two people 

stay in this world forever—

Khidr and Elias, who drink the water of life. 



Yunus Emre, tr. Kabir Helminski and Refik Algan in The Drop That Became The Sea: Lyric Poems of Yunus Emre (Shambhala, 2000). Copyright © 1989