S. R. Faruqi:

(1) To let lives be consumed by death is not something devoid of pleasure,
Did Khizr or Jesus ever know the excellence of the taste of death?

(2) What can I tell you of the honor in which I held the pomp and grandeur of this world?
I regarded Solomon's ring as nothing more than a ring for my toes.

(3) Is this really the way to be aloof and coquettish, my dear, just like the sun
showing your face in the morning and hiding it in the evening?

(4) Could a devoted servant of God ever do service my way?
God knows well enough: for me you were God.

(5) I was extremely vain about my good judgment and understanding.
So of course the man I thought was good and gentle turned out to be bad.

(6) Holding your head high and proud like the whirlwind avails nothing.
Bend your neck to the task and just go on and on in this wilderness, like a rushing flood.

(7) Far better if the flow of blood tears could somehow be made to stop.
It's not desirable to have blood running incessantly down the face.

(8) It's stamped on people's hearts, it's not going to be erased, your
coming here and revoking a lover's rights unjustly and for no good reason.

(9) Was this truly the way for you to glance at me?
Well, go if you are of a mind to--but look me once in the eye before you go.

(10) Invariably have I gone into the candle-bright beauty's assembly and left
after sustaining a new wound from her tongue.

(11) Din of doomsday, be sure I don't stay asleep.
Wake me up too when you pass this way.

["This way," the beloved's street. Lovers, slain by the beloved or by love, prefer to be buried in or near the beloved's home and allowed to lie undisturbed. The convention is that loves martyr, having lived a life of torment, sleeps a very deep sleep. But he does need to be awake when God assembles the final court on doomsday so that he may seek justice from God for the inequities that he suffered at the hands of his beloved. (Also he would love to see her again.)]

(12) Oh what a pity the owner of the pearl sold it at the price of a drop of water.
Joseph's being sold off so cheaply weighs heavily on me.

(13) Our equation is like that of body and soul.
My heart and soul, did I ever regard myself as separate from you?

(14) It upsets and distresses my soul, just like doomsday,
any moment I call to mind your sudden appearance at my door.

(15) This has been the deal between us for many years now:
I bend my neck the moment she raises her sword.

(16) What can you hope to accomplish, Mir, against an artful deceiver like her?
You did attach your heart to her, but didn't realize even that your heart was entangled.

 

FWP:

(inspired by SRF's translation)

(1) The exhaustion of lives is not without relish.
When did Khizr and the Messiah ever know the pleasure of dying?

(2) How can I say how I saw the pomp and circumstance of this world?
I saw the signet of Solomon as a toe-ring.

(3) Is this any way to flirt, dear-- like the sun?
To show your face at dawn, and then hide it away in the evening?

(4) Could any servant do servitude like mine?
The Lord knows-- I took you for the Lord.

(5) I had such pride in my discernment!
In the end he turned out evil-- the one who I thought was good.

(6) It's no use to toss your head high, like a whirlwind!
In that desert, keep your head down and move like a flood.

(7) It would be better to restrain these bloody tears.
It's not good to have blood flowing down the face.

(8) The image is fixed, it won't leave people's hearts--
She came, and wrongly erased the lover's rights.

(9) Was this the way for you to look at me?
Before you go, just look me in the eye.

(10) Coming from the gathering of that candle-flame,
I brought away a fresh wound from her tongue.

(11) Oh tumult of Doomsday, I don't want to oversleep!
If you come by here, wake me too on your way.

(12) The merchant has sold a pearl for the price of water!
It weighs heavy on me that Yusuf is valued so lightly.

(13) My life, you and I are like body and spirit.
When did I know myself apart from you?

(14) It passes over me like Doomsday then--
when I remember your all-at-once arrival.

(15) For years she and I have gotten on like this:
when she lifts the sword, then I bow my head.

(16) Mir, how could you ever control such a trickster?
You attached your heart forever-- but you never even knew it.

 

Zahra Sabri:

Zahra Sabri is a special guest translator for this site.

(1) Having one’s life become ended is not devoid of relish
When did Khizr and the Messiah ever know the pleasure of dying?

(2) What shall I say about the value I placed on the pomp and majesty of this world?
I saw the Seal of Solomon as a toe-ring

(3) What coquetry is this, that in the manner of the sun, my dear
Having shown your face at dawn, you go and hide it away at dusk?

(4) When would any other slave ever display devotion like mine, in slavery?
God knows this well: I saw you as a god

(5) We too used to be very proud of our powers of discernment
In the end, that person turned out to be evil, whom we had thought to be good

(6) What’s to be gained from being stiff-necked like a whirlwind?
Bend your head to the ground, in this desert, and rush forward like a flood

(7) It would be better if this weeping of blood can be curbed
It’s really not good that blood should keep flowing down one’s face

(8) This vision that is engraved on people’s hearts, is not one that will go away
Her coming to the lover, and quite unjustly, taking away his rights

(9) Was this the manner in which you should have cast your gaze here?
Leave if you must, but please let your eyes meet mine for a second

(10) Our going to that flame-bright beauty’s assembly, and then returning
From there each day, having sustained a fresh wound from her tongue

(11) Oh din of Doomsday, lest I remain asleep
When you pass this way, do awaken me, too, as you go

(12) How the owner’s come and sold the pearl for the price of water!
The selling off of Joseph so cheaply, bears down heavily indeed

(13) Yours and my relationship is like that of body and spirit
When have I, oh my dear soul, ever considered you distinct from myself?

(14) My mind is overtaken by a devastating tumult at the moment
When I remember you arriving without any warning

(15) For years, this is the manner in which she and I have kept company
The moment she lifts up her sword, I bow my head before it

(16) How, “Mir”, could you succeed against such a trickster as her?
You attached your heart to her, but didn’t even become conscious of it