S. R. Faruqi:

(1) A cloud came recently from the Kaaba, black, oh so black.
Ready to get black drunk, everyone has eyes black with dazzlement.

[The rainy season is supposed to be the best time for drinking. Hoping to get drunk, everyone's eyes are dark with "dazzlement." Temporary blindness is often the result when a strong light dazzles the eye. The prospect of getting drunk is so splendidly refulgent that the eyes are dazzled. Though there is little rain in Mecca , the city sometimes suffers serious flash floods. A cloud arising from the precincts of the Kaaba is, metaphorically, a dense, black cloud and full of rain.]

(2) Ashamed by those lips , they perspire and flow away like water--
how delightful--sugar and candied sugar transforming back into sap!

[Sugar, sugar candy , etc., are hygroscopic: they become moist and tend to run when exposed to the air. Hence shira nikalna means "the flowing of the treacle" and, metaphorically, "to perspire with shame."]

(3) Majnun didn't do madness with sufficient spirit and resolution.
It's not my style to lose control and run away and wander.

(4) How could we not lose our hearts to that bandit at the first encounter?
Her style and coquetry are shoplifters and purse snatchers; her glance and her wink, sneaky thieves and pickpockets.

(5) Do you think love's wilderness is any less fearful than others?
Even a tiger's hackles would rise in fear if it entered here.

(6) Sure, do look into the mirror--but cast a brief glance this way too.
The lover's wonderstruck eye glitters like a diamond.

(7) Everything is founded and built according to intention: there was a massive mosque here--
when the ancient tavern keeper died, the mosque became his mausoleum.

(8) I just caressed your feet and you are prepared to go to the extent even of shedding my blood.
What was it that I did? Commit a mortal sin?

(9) Mir Sahib was totally sucked dry by his haughty pride, his jealous sense of shame.
They opened his chest and found not a drop of blood remaining.

 

FWP:

(inspired by SRF's translation)

(1) A 'Ka'bah-cloud' has come, dark all over.
In the relish of intoxication, many eyes are dark.

(2) Shamed by those lips, they have liquified and flowed away.
Sugar and sweets-- how finely they melt into sap!

(3) Majnun didn't put his heart into his madness.
It's not my style to run off and leave my place.

(4) Meeting that highway robber, how could the heart not be lost?
Her airs and graces are pickpockets, her sidelong glances are sneak-thieves.

(5) Is it a small thing, the terror of the desert of passion?
In that place, the tigers' hair stands on end.

(6) Look at the mirror, too-- but just a bit, look this way:
the lover's amazed eye glitters like a diamond.

(7) It all depends on intention: there once was a big mosque here.
When the tavern-master died, the mosque became his tomb.

(8) I touched your feet-- would you slay me for it?
Did I really commit such a great sin?

(9) Mir Sahib had been completely consumed by pride.
When they opened his breast, not a drop of blood emerged.

 

Zahra Sabri:

Zahra Sabri is a special guest translator for this site.

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)