S. R. Faruqi:

(1) When the beautiful people untie the knot of their tunics
what will the poor fellows do who've been yawning in a tedious wait to see them?

(2) I worry perpetually, given your tyranny and injustice all the time.
For how long can my heart and brain remain loyal to me?

(3) Dearly beloveds, I have on my neck the debt owed you--my head.
I'll certainly repay my arrears if I live any longer.

(4) I'm no more than a dervish after all, so give me leave to cast an occasional glance at you.
I'll settle in a corner, my dear, and intone benedictions over you.

(5) The month of fasting is here, after all. I too, for a couple of days at least,
will seek out the children of the fire worshipers and go drink wine with them.

[Open drinking is not allowed to the Muslims in the month of Ramadan. The point here is that he will enjoy both the drinking and the company of goodlooking young people from the fire worshipers' families. There was no prohibition on public drinking among the fire worshipers. (Fire worshipers, almost always Iranian, were regarded as goodlooking.) Lastly, he will enjoy being irreverent.]

(6) Perhaps she'd say something to me if she noticed that I don't speak a word.
With that end in view I shall be silent and still from now on.

(7) A whole world loves you to death--let the day of resurrection come.
There'll be numerous doomsdays around your street.

[The convention is that those who die for love of the beloved are buried around her city, or street.]

(8) The clouds have been light and shallow and the forest's expanse has withered.
I should surely now go down regularly into the jungle and weep.

(9) Indeed it was my aimless meandering that led me finally to your street.
From now on I will accord full respect to my ignominy and disrespectability.

(10) How would it be possible to give a full account of Mir in a single night?
A whole lifetime gone and I'd still be narrating his story to you.

 

FWP:

(inspired by SRF's translation)

(1) When lovely ones untie their sashes,
what will their languishing lovers do?

(2) I'm constantly anxious: because of your tyranny
how long will my heart and mind both remain steadfast?

(3) It's on my mind that I owe you my head, oh lovely ones.
If I live, my dears, I'll certainly pay what I owe.

(4) I'm a darvesh after all-- permit me one glance at you!
I'll sit in a corner and call down blessings upon you.

(5) It's fasting time, after all! For three or four days,
I'll go and drink with the sons of the infidels.

(6) Seeing me silent, she'll say something!
Thus from now on I will never say a word.

(7) The whole world is dying for you! If doomsday comes,
all around your street will be-- resurrections.

(8) The desert foothills are dry, from the shallowness of the rainclouds.
Now I too will go into the wilderness-- and weep.

(9) My being a vagabond brought me to your street.
From now on I will honor my low-class ways!

(10) After all, how could Mir's story be told in a single night?
I will tell you his story for a whole lifetime.

 

Zahra Sabri:

Zahra Sabri is a special guest translator for this site.

(1) When the beautiful ones will loosen the fastening of their robe
Those who are yawning, waiting to meet them for ages – how will they react?

(2) Regarding your cruelty, my source of constant distress is this:
For how long will my heart and mind both stand by me?

(3) Oh beautiful ones, giving up my head in devotion is a debt on me
If I live, I’ll definitely fulfil this obligation owed to you

(4) I’m just a dervish, after all, permit me to cast a single glance
I’ll simply sit in my corner, my dear, sending you blessings and prayers

(5) Finally, the days of fasting have arrived; for a few days, I too
Will go sit among the Christian boys, and drink alcohol

(6) She will say at least something, seeing me quiet and wordless
To achieve this objective, I will now just keep silent

(7) The entire world dies for you; if the day of resurrection arrives
In every direction on your street, doomsday assemblies will take place

(8) The wild forest has become dry due to the clouds’ lack of depth
From now on, I too will go into the jungle and weep

(9) My wild and vagrant ways brought me to your street
From now on, I will esteem my abasement

(10) How should “Mir’s” story be recounted in one night, after all?
I will go on narrating this tale to you for a lifetime