from Figs and Thistles: First Fig

Source: Poetry (June 1918).

 

 

Hafez

Translation:

In faithfulness to your love, I am famous like the candle

In the street of the rends, I burn all night like the candle

Day and night, sleep slips away, from my grief-stricken eyes

Sick from separation, my red eyes weep like the candle

The mountain of my patience melted like wax in your grief’s hand

Since I began to burn and melt in your love like the candle

My string of patience’s cut by the scissors of your hair

But still, in your love’s fire, I am smiling like the candle

If the horse of my rosy tear had not been so swift

How could my secret shine out everywhere just like the candle?

As ever, my poor desperate heart is occupied with you

Shedding tears of water and of flame just like the candle

Without your world-adorning beauty, my day is like the night

Within your love’s perfection, I am fading like the candle

Honor me with union for one night, o wild one

and with your visit, brighten up my house like the candle

Like the morning, your coming is just a breath away

Show your face, so I can give my soul up like the candle

In exile’s night, send me a promise of union, or else

With this fire, I’ll burn down the whole world like the candle

It’s amazing how your love lit Hafez all on fire

How can I quench my heart’s fire with tears, like the candle?

 

 

Original:

دروفایعشقتومشهورخوبانمچوشمـع
شبنشینکویسربازانورندانمچوشمع
روزوشبخوابمنمی‌آیدبهچشمغمپرست
بـسکهدربیماریهجرتوگریانمچوشمع

کوهصبرمنرمشدچونمومدردستغمـت
تادرآبوآتشعشقتگدازانمچوشـمـع
رشتـهصـبرمبهمقراضغمتببریدهشد
همـچـناندرآتشمهرتوسوزانمچوشمع
گرکـمیتاشـکگلگونمنـبودیگرمرو
کیشدیروشنبهگیتیرازپنهانمچوشمع
درمیانآبوآتشهمچنانسرگرمتوسـت
ایندلزارنزاراشـکبارانـمچوشـمـع
بیجمالعالمآرایتوروزمچونشباست
باکمالعشقتودرعیننقصانمچوشمـع
سرفرازمکنشبیازوصـلخوداینازنین
تامـنورگرددازدیدارتایوانمچوشـمـع
همـچوصبحمیکنفسباقیستبادیدارتو
چـهرهبنمادلبراتاجانبرافشانمچوشمع
درشـبهجرانمراپروانهوصلیفرسـت
ورنهازدردتجهانیرابسوزانمچوشمـع
آتـشمـهرتوراحافظعجبدرسرگرفت

Ibn al-Fāriḍ

 

If not for my sighs, these tears would drown me

If not for these tears, my sighs would scorch me

 

ولولا زفيري ٔاغرقتني ٔادمعي

ولولا دموعي ٔاحرقتني زفرتي

John Donne

 

Hero and Leander

 

Both robb’d of air, we both lie in one ground ;
Both whom one fire had burnt, one water drown’d

Out of a fired ship, which by no way

But drowning could be rescued from the flame,

Some men leap’d forth, and ever as they came

Near the foes’ ships, did by their shot decay;

So all were lost, which in the ship were found,

      They in the sea being burnt, they in the burnt ship drown’d.

Rumi

 

 

O light, from seeing your beauty, my soul became candle-like

Turn my fortune so I can shed myself candle-like

The promise of the morning breeze, of joining Thee day and night

Burning, yellow, shaking, crying and humble, candle-like.

Thy flowing hair, like scissors sheer my soul at its height

In this fire of separation burn me no more, candle-like.

Pearls overflowing from the sea of my eye, fill my bosom in delight

My burning heart sent its flames blazing upward, candle-like.

Solar flares set in the celestial lantern, sooth the sight

Every morn dam my tears and shed no more, candle-like.

Thy face is spring-like, thy fire sorrows fight

How long burn in this solstice of separation, candle-like?

From the memory of thy light, every night flames take flight

If only my heart’s fire would burn my soul candle-like.

How long burn thyself Shams-e Tabrizi, thy love beaming bright?

We know of nothing other than this burning, candle-like.

 

Translation:

My eyes are two candles
Casting a sad light on my face
Your eyes are two candles
Casting a sad light on my face

Marked by the pains
Of longing and grief

When I hear the ringing of the bells
And the afternoon is coming to an end

I pray, out of longing for you
An “Our Father” for me

But you do not know how to pray
Nor how to ache with longing

Why do you disturb me so
Why do I want you so much?

For my despair you are like
The clouds that fly high

Every day I wait for you
Every day you stand me up

Original:

Os meus olhos são dois círios
Dando luz triste ao meu rosto
Os teus olhos são dois círios
Dando luz triste ao meu rosto
Marcado pelos martírios
Da saudade e do desgosto.

Quando oiço bater trindades
E a tarde já vai no fim

Eu peço às tuas saudades
Um padre nosso por mim.Mas não sabes fazer preces
Não tens saudades nem pranto

Por que é que tu me aborreces
Por que é que eu te quero tanto?

És para meu desespero
Como as nuvens que andam altas

Todos os dias te espero
Todos os dias me faltas.

 From http://lyricstranslate.com/

Maranâus

I am not happiness, but only

The tragic substance that produces it.

In the great darkness, I am a burning flambeau

And I don’t see my own light.

 

Original:

Eu não sou a alegria, mas apenas

A trágica matéria que a produz.

Na grande escuridão, sou facho a arder

E não avisto minha própria luz!

 

(Pascoaes, 1920, p.216)