Toward a Rose Forever in Bloom: Translations of Yunus Emre, a 13th Century Anatolian Sufi

Abstract

Toward a Rose Forever in Bloom is a translation project aimed at creating a sample framework through which Sufi poetry can be understood in its traditional and Islamic context. I outline my translation methodology, as well as the resources that I used in making my translations, such as a new dictionary dedicated solely to the works of Yunus Emre as well as a recent critical edition of his original works, neither of which were available to previous English translators. Through my annotated translations sampled from six overarching themes found in the works of Yunus Emre, a 13th century Anatolian Sufi, an analysis of the legends surrounding his biography, and a discussion of the historical context, I portray Sufism as a path within mainstream Islam, in contrast to modern perceptions and varying translation methods that suggest otherwise.