Tales of Mystic Meaning: Selections from the Mathnawi

Often described as the Bible of the Sufis, the Mathnawi is a famous thirteenth-century mystical poem by Jalalu’l-Din Rumi, the great Persian poet and mystic. In Tales of Mystic Meaning, Professor R. A. Nicholson presents translations of the most important stories from this entertaining work, which draws its inspiration from the rich religious philosophy of the Sufis, and their belief that all things emanate from God and are moving towards ultimate reunion with Him.
Belonging to the last period of Rumi’s life, the Mathnawi consists of a series of tales that explore the eternal questions of life’s meaning and purpose. Professor Nicholson’s translation preserves the direct semi-colloquial style of the tales, their lively dialogue and the humorous descriptions of human nature in which they abound. Rumi’s moral and mystical teaching lends itself to universal application and displays with a light touch the wisdom that never plays on the surface without contemplating the hidden depths beneath.