Reprove me not, for reproof helps only to inflame my passion;
You have spoken the truth, yet I heard it not
Your excessive blame has harmed me, although
You had my interest in mind when you blamed
Use gentleness instead of chiding,
For my heart is aching; I am in pain
I was once capable of facing grave trials, but demands for a dowry
Have weighed heavy on me; my strength sapped
Separation has caused me intense pangs;
Being away from you is a nightmare
Whenever I return home, I am troubled by a new request
To resume my travels; once again away from you
Must constant journeying be my only lot;
Must I unendingly pace God’s vast spaces
If Life assures me that travels bring me wealth,
I will not hesitate to make it to the China Wall
Greed refuses to give me a break from my hard travels;
I am ever in search of a source of gain,
Always bidding farewell to friends and loved ones
Yet mighty efforts may not bring bounties within man’s reach,
Nor will contentment deprive him from life’s blessings
God has distributed His bounties justly among people;
He will never withhold subsistence from anyone
People, however, have chosen to be greedy, ever in search of gain;
Never satisfied by less than attaining their coveted goals
There is enough for everyone, but alas,
Selfish grasping contributes to man’s demise
Life bestows blessings, even when it seems withholding;
It withholds when greed seems the only means to reach a goal
I leave in God’s care a beloved in Karkh; fair as a bright moon,
Lovely as a flower in full bloom
When wistfully bidding her farewell, I wished I had instead bidden
A permanent farewell to life’s joys
O, how she held me tight when we parted in mid-morning;
How her tears and mine profusely shed!
God knows that my separation from her has exhausted my patience,
Even though I try to compose myself and seem resigned
I try comforting myself that separation from her will help me acquire
The asked for dowry, yet the hoped for acquisition is never within my reach
I have had a vast wealth but failed to manage it well;
Mismanagement will only lead to grievous consequences
Whoever enjoys life’s blessings without showing gratitude,
God will take those blessings away from him
Ever since my separation from my soul companion, I have drunk
the cup of sorrow; the very dregs
Many a man has told me that I have tasted the pangs of separation;
My answer has been ‘I do not deny it; it is my fault.’
They say it is wise to stay home instead of wandering away; wish I have the right guidance to know the right course I should follow
I spend my days in pensive reflections;
Sadly meditating on heartrending woes
When others resort to sweet repose, I pass my nights thinking of the beloved.
Her memory causes me anguish; denying restful sleep
Ever since I left her, my bed is never undisturbed by incessant tossing;
Her bed, for sure, must not be different
Never did I think that a dowry will inflict upon me such suffering and grief;
She, too, must be writhing in agony deep
Scarcity of resources has caused this separation between us; still,
Neither am I able to gain riches, nor secure her hand in marriage
How often I dreaded that dowry, how it alarmed me! Yet just the same,
I was never able to shield myself from the source of my dismay
O, my dear house! How empty you must seem!
How you have become an aberration ever since my departure!
Will Time ever bring me back to live in you with the beloved?
Will the circumstances that caused me gripping pain
Relent and hasten a reunion between us?
I am at God’s mercy, dear house; may He ever shower you and your surroundings
With never-ceasing blessings
As for the beloved, she has indeed been faithful to me;
I, too, am equally loyal and true
When I remember her, my heart breaks, she too must feel the same
When memory of my love throbs in her heart
I will patiently wait for a dowry that may never materialize;
Fully realizing that our dreams of sharing life together may not come true
I will keep hoping that my patience be rewarded with fulfillment;
In thought we transcend our limited circumstances and expand
May the Fates, that enfeebled my body, due to separation from her,
Crown our parting with a sweet reunion
But if death should claim one of us ere we meet again,
We’ll accept our fate; God’s sovereign will be done
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