Shushtari
My neglect of you is reprehensible, while your love is a duty
my longing is everlasting, while union is elusive
On the tablet of my heart, your love has been marked
my tears are the ink, and beauty is the writer
The reader of my thoughts constantly recites
lessons on the signs of the beautiful one
My gaze wanders in the heaven of your beauty
its penetrating star pierces my mind
Talk about others, listening to that is forbidden
for all of me is stolen and your beauty is the thief
They said to me: repent of loving your beloved
so I replied: I repent of my neglect
The torments of love are sweet for every lover
even if, for another, they are hard and never-ending
Translation modified from: L.M. Alvarez. Abu’l-Hasan Shushtari: Songs of Love and Devotion. p. 55
Original:
سُلُوِّيَ مكروهٌ وحُبكَ واجبٌ وشوقِي مقيمٌ والتَّواصلُ غائبُ
وفي لوح قلبي من وِدَادكِ أسطرٌ وَدمعي مِدادٌ مثل ما الحسن كاتبُ
وقارىء فكري لْلمحَاسِن تالياً على دَرْس آيات الجمالِ يواظبُ
أُنَزِّهُ طَرفي في سماء جَمالكمْ لِثاقب ذِهني نَجمُها هو ثاقبُ
حَديثُ سواكَ السمع عنهُ محَّرمٌ فَكُلِّيَ مسلوبٌ وحسنكَ سالبُ
يقولونَ لي تبْ عن هوى من تُحبُّهُ فقلتُ عن السلوان إِنِّيَ تائبُ
عَذابُ الهوى عذبٌ على كل عَاشِق وإِن كان عندَ الغير صعبٌ وواصبُ
Bill Withers
Luther Ingram