Thoughts in Bonsai: Seventy-Two

1. By constantly hurling abuse at me,
are you testing my patience?

2. Such people also come into life
who will do such things
that you'll find pleasing to witness,
though they will gradually destroy you!

3. If you want to forgive someone,
don't sit waiting in hope
that they'll come and ask for that forgiveness.

Forgive them—whether it helps them or not,
it will ease your mental burden.

4. I love you.
...Apart from this feeling,
ask me to change anything else.

5. Either learn the language of night,
or stay silent in the night.

6. Rather than condemning someone's dishonesty,
it's better to avoid them altogether.

Of course, there's no shortage of idle, worthless people.

7. Within every happiness
lies a subtle sorrow;
no one can be happy
by pushing that aside.

8. In the silence of nights,
days become bloodied.

9. If you can't stay with me in my own way,
don't come.
I'm fine with myself
in my own way.

10. I don't torment you.
The truth is,
you burn thinking of me.

11. Faithfulness is essential in relationships,
but more essential than that: peace.
Keeping peace in mind,
decisions come.

12. Whose life, their decision.
Who will think what or think nothing at all—
you're nobody to speak on this,
let alone determine it!

13. I should forget.
Yet even today I remain caught in it!

14. After everything,
you need just such a person
who will stay with you,
whether they love you or not.

15. No matter how bad times come,
no matter how much emptiness you feel,
always, somewhere or other,
some hope lies tucked in a corner.
That much is enough to pull yourself together.

16. Those who sit silent today with hearts full of pain,
their lives too will be beautiful one day.
The words they've stored up
they will speak one by one that day.

17. I have swallowed so much pain.
Today let me stay quiet a little,
let me breathe deeply.

18. Even today I love to think
you are that star in the sky
who shines brightest
in my nights of sorrow,
showing me light.

19. What crowds of people surround me!
Among them only that one is missing
whom I seek.
Can there be loneliness
greater than this?

20. Someone open-minded
who never judges anyone
for anything—
to sit beside them
and pour out everything
in your heart...
what happiness could be greater than this!?