S. R. Faruqi:

(1) I am my own snare in love. Love is my shadow and goes wherever I go.
I may be involved with you but I am actually a prisoner of my own state.

(2) I swallow my bloodred tears all the time because
I have a continual thirst for my own blood.

(3) I am the intoxicant in the world's wine barrel, yet,
like the moisture exuding onto the barrel's surface, I am my own exudation of shame.

(4) My very emergence reduced me to the level of dirt.
I am trampled by my own feet like a footprint.

(5) Existence has become a struggle for me--please resolve my difficulty.
True, I move about, yet I am the dead weight of my own distress.

(6) You imagine there's a feeble body inside my clothes.
In fact, nothing is there but a mere idea of myself.

(7) True, my creativity has been blazing bright, almost overpowering,
and yes, I am a sun... but now, one on the point of setting.

 

FWP:

(inspired by SRF's translation)

(1) Like a shadow, in love I'm my own magic net.
With you, I'm confined-- by my own condition.

(2) I always swallow my crimson tears,
since I constantly thirst for my own blood.

(3) I'm wholly the high in the wine-cask of the world,
but like the exuded wine, I'm my own 'sweat of shame'.

(4) My prominence levelled me into the dust.
Like a footprint, I'm trampled-- by my own feet.

(5) Life has become difficult-- ease my problem!
I do keep wandering, but I'm a dead weight to myself.

(6) You think my frail body is within my robe.
You're deluded-- I'm now a mere idea of myself.

(7) My own brilliant temperament has been devastating, Mir.
I'm a sun-- but I'm my own sundown.

 

Zahra Sabri:

Zahra Sabri is a special guest translator for this site.

(1) Like a shadow, in love, I am my own entrapping net
With you, I am a prisoner of my own state

(2) I keep on drinking crimson teardrops every instant, because
I am continually thirsty for my own blood

(3) Although I am completely the intoxicating wine in the wine-barrel of the world
In the manner of wine, I am the exuded moisture of my own shame

(4) My coming into appearance levelled me to dust
Like a footprint, I am trampled by own self

(5) Life has become difficult; ease my struggle
I do manage to go about, but I am my own cursed burden

(6) It’s your imagination that this helpless one is held inside the robe
In fact, this is not me; now I am an idea of myself

(7) ‘Mir’, it’s true that my brilliant temperament has become a calamity
I am the sun, but I am my own decline