S. R. Faruqi:

(1) It's the night of union and now it's about to pass. Won't you say something?
Words and connections remain though the days pass.

(2) I am now reduced to being awarded a smile, even a word or two occasionally.
Well, my friend, a pretense of respectability remains--so not everything is lost.

(3) Do pause a little, revolving time! Don't you see that my life too
is speeding away with my days?

(4) Here I am totally ignorant of the moves in the chess game of day and night,
and there on life's board I face clear checkmate.

(5) Love's relative affinities don't depend on daily visits.
One meeting can suffice for a whole lifetime.

(6) It's not catarrh that flows down the nostrils of the chaste-hearted shaikh.
It is the involuntary discharge of the seminal fluid--he's losing his mettle!

[The word in the text is dhat, which means "metal" and also "semen." It was believed by medieval medicine that venereal disease or sexual weakness could cause the patient to often ejaculate involuntarily and even without tumescence, or while passing urine. The condition was called jiryan-e mani, the actual term used in the text. There is no true translation of it in English though gonorrhoea simplex comes close enough.]

(7) His patchwork coat, his turban, his shawl: the drunks grabbed and made away with them all.
The shaikh lost all the garb his miracle working was based on.
(8) He presents himself as a great one for doing prayers, and since he does the call to prayer as well,
there's a constant feud between him and the drunks trying to sleep it off.
(9) He doesn't ever put a stop to his stumps.
He's near death but his legs are still afoot.
(10) Every morning he's hell-bent on ruining the tipplers' rest,
always in ambush for some deception, for finding a chance to boast and glorify himself.

(11) Mir, it's only me she constantly discriminates against.
As for the others, they always get all courtesy and consideration.

 

FWP:

(inspired by SRF's translation)

(1) Say something! The night of union is again passing away.
Days pass away, but the situation continues.

(2) There's sometimes still a smile, sometimes even a few words.
Ultimately, my friend, some dignity remains.

(3) Take a bit of a break, oh revolving days! -- for this life,
alas, passes away with the lifetime.

(4) Here, I don't know the moves of the chess-game of the age.
There, the game moves steadily toward checkmate.

(5) The bond of passion doesn't need daily visits.
A single meeting lasts a lifetime long.

(6) [I just can't figure out how to do this one.]

(7) Cloak, turban, shawl-- the drunkards steal them away.
All the Shaikh's 'miraculous powers' take leave.
(8) He does the call to prayer like a rooster crowing.
The drunkards sneer at his self-promotingness.
(9) To his last breath, he haunts the mosque.
He's half-dead, but he keeps on kicking.
(10) Every dawn, he gives the wine-drinkers no peace.
Lurking in ambush, looking to flaunt himself.

(11) I'm the only one she keeps at a distance, Mir.
As a rule, the others are treated very well.

 

Zahra Sabri:

Zahra Sabri is a special guest translator for this site.

(1) Say something, for the night of union is passing
Days keep passing, but the situation between us keeps up

(2) I’m now restricted to getting an occasional smile, some occasional words
Ah well, oh companion, our status keeps dwindling

(3) Pause even if just a little, oh revolving cycle of time, for this life
Keeps on passing, alas, with the passing years

(4) Here, I don’t know the strategy of the world’s chess game
And there, I keep drawing towards a checkmate

(5) The link of love is not dependent on meeting each day
Meeting once can keep sufficing for a lifetime

(6) The chaste religious scholar does not have rheum flowing out from his nose
This is gonorrhea simplex, semen keeps on trickling out

(7) Patched robe, turban, and cloak – the drunken ones are bearing these away
All of the religious scholar’s miraculous powers keep departing

(8) The chanter of the call to prayer, who is greatly showy in religious matters –-he
Keeps having sarcastic clashes with the drunken ones

(9) He doesn’t set foot outside the mosque, even at his last breath
He’s near death, but still keeps kicking

(10) Every morning, he goes after the peace and contentment of the wine-drinkers
Lurking in ambush, keeping on trying to catch them out and glorify himself

(11) I am the only one who receives discriminatory treatment, “Mir”
Otherwise, she keeps being extremely civil and courteous to others