Whoever claims to be a lover

Does not think of passion or desires,

Whoever comes to the house of love

Has no interest in anything, no attachment to anything.

Whoever is a true lover no longer

Remembers this world and the hereafter,

Whoever expects titles and struts

With arrogance is not a true lover.

Arrogance and honor belong

To love of this world,

Whoever loves the titles of the world

Never talks about love.

Whoever talks about love with his tongue alone,

Does not know what love is,

So here is my explanation,

Love is exalted in a priceless way.

It is slanderous to call someone a lover

Who does not renounce love of the world,

Love does not come to an inner heart

Filled with arrogance and love of the world.

Love does not accept arrogance

Or love of the world:

These are not my words, love itself

Does not find them correct.

Let those whose hearts taste love

Forget about everything except love,

No other vehicle but love

Will reach the presence of the Friend.

Let those who are true lovers

Walk the path with love,

Whoever uses the eye of the inner heart

Never stumbles into traps along the way.

Let those who call Yunus a lover

Be careful, do not imitate him,

Many will be lost because

Our destination is far away.

* * *

(From: Yunus Emre: His Life and Selected Poems written and edited by Faruk Dilaver)