S. R. Faruqi:

(1) If Mir keeps on wailing so loud
how can his neighbors not lose sleep?

(2) I who shed tears so profuse now depart this world,
a weeper for whom the clouds will weep year after year.

(3) Dear counselor, it's my avocation to weep often.
How long will you keep washing away the tears from my face?

[In the ghazal world, the counselor is the stock figure of the man of worldly prudence and efficiency; he is always scolding and cajoling the lover, vainly urging him to change his self-destructive ways.]

(4) Stop, tears, stop! Don't you have eyes to see?
Will you go on flooding the world forever?

(5) My heart raises a lament so poignant and powerful
that even the caravan's loud bell would lose its senses upon hearing it.

[The caravan bell is lonely and melancholy because the bell moves on with the caravan but its sound remains behind (a frequent theme in Mir).]

(6) Well, so be it, you can abuse my rivals as much as you like.
You'll get like for like if you do it with me.

(7) Mir, enough. Wipe the tears from your lashes.
How long will you keep on stringing those pearls?

 

FWP:

(inspired by SRF's translation)

(1) If Mir keeps on weeping so loudly
how will the neighbor get any sleep?

(2) I have left the world-- I, such a weeper
that every year the raincloud will weep for me.

(3) I have much weeping to do, oh Advisor.
How long will you keep washing my face?

(4) Enough, oh Weeping! Don't you have eyes to see?!
How long will you keep drowning the world?

(5) My heart has given rise to the kind of lament
That would petrify even a caravan-bell.

(6) You're welcome to heap abuse on the other guy!
If you do it to me, you'll get it back in spades.

(7) Enough, Mir! Wipe the tears from your eyelashes.
How long will you keep on stringing these pearls?

 

Zahra Sabri:

Zahra Sabri is a special guest translator for this site.

(1) When Mir will continue to weep so loudly
How will his neighbours continue to sleep?

(2) I take my leave from this world, being that weeper
Whom the rainclouds will continue to weep over each year

(3) My giver of good counsel, weeping is something I have dealings with often
For how long will you continue to wipe away my tears?

(4) Stop, oh weeping. Don’t you have eyes?
How far will you go in flooding the world in a deluge?

(5) My heart has produced such a haunting lament
That will continue to confound even the echo of the caravan bell

(6) You are welcome to heap abuse on my rivals in this way
But if you say anything to me, it will keep rebounding on you

(7) Enough now, “Mir”. Wipe the tears from your eyelashes
For how long will you continue to string these pearls?