Along the path…

The love of her beauty is a sea of fire.
      If you’re a lover you’ll burn; such is the path.
Where a bright candle’s flame suddenly heaves
      won’t the moth burn?  Its burning is certain.
If you want love’s secret, leave faith and disbelief.
     What room is there for them in Love’s entrance?
The lover who comes to the path’s first stage
     falls in frailty like a shadow upon the ground.
After a while nothing remains of the shadow
   because the sun lies in wait in a distant place
Many thousands of travellers made pretence of Love
   Mansur is like the gemstone on the seal of the path.
Anyone who claims the pearl of truth from this sea
   is forever cherised in the courts of both worlds
The task of this path is extremely arduous;
   one person each millenium sees the path through
How will you know the people of the path? for they
   first walk on this path, then on the seventh heaven
Along the path, ‘Attar came upon a place
   higher than body and soul, outside of kindness and hate.

 

modified from K. Avery and A. Alizadeh.  Fifty Poems of ‘Attar.  Anomaly, 2007

Original:

    عشق جمال جانان دریای آتشین است
گر عاشقی بسوزی زیرا که راه این است
   جایی که شمع رخشان ناگاه بر فروزند
پروانه چون نسوزد کش سوختن یقین است
   گر سر عشق خواهی از کفر و دین گذر کن
کانجا که عشق آمد چه جای کفر و دین است
   عاشق که در ره آید اندر مقام اول
چون سایه‌ای به خواری افتاده در زمین است
   چون مدتی برآید سایه نماند اصلا
کز دور جایگاهی خورشید در کمین است
   چندین هزار رهرو دعوی عشق کردند
برخاتم طریقت منصور چون نگین است
   هرکس که در معنی زین بحر بازیابد
در ملک هر دو عالم جاوید نازنین است
   کاری قوی است عالی کاندر ره طریقت
بر هر هزار سالی یک مرد راه‌بین است
    تو مرد ره چه دانی زیرا که مرد ره را
اول قدم درین ره بر چرخ هفتمین است
    عطار اندرین ره جایی فتاد کانجا
برتر ز جسم و جان است بیرون ز مهر و کین است

 

 

Translation of lyrics:

Walking, walking, walking alone
I found my gypsy bathing in the river

 

She can not live without me,
I can not live without her,
I am the sun that shines,
she is for me the star,
that illuminates my dream!

 

Walking, walking, walking alone
I found my gypsy bathing in the river

 

She is my joy
When your hair caresses my face,
Between my kisses I get lost gazing in
Your black eyes and I’m going crazy

 

Original:
Caminando,caminando,caminando voy solito
a buscar a mi gitana que lavando esta en el rio!
No puede vivir sin mi,
no puedo vivir sin ella,
yo soy el sol q le alumbra,
ella es para mi la estrella,
la que alumbra mi sueño!

 

Caminando,caminando,caminando voy solito
a buscar a mi gitana que lavando esta en el rio!
Ella es mi alegria
cuando su pelo acaricia mi cara
y entre mis besos yo me pierdo mirando
sus ojos negros y yo me vuelvo loco

 

 

Camaron and Hafez: Love’s Minstrels

Translation of Lyrics:

Strumming the strings of his guitar,
Strumming the strings of his guitar,
A Sultan complained of his Queen.

Two wells of stars, your black eyes,
And a moonless rose, your black hair,
Your black hair, your black hair,
Two wells of stars, your black eyes.

The rosemary bush smells of your body,
The rosemary bush smells of your body,
No jasmine on earth is more tender
No jasmine on earth is more tender.

Although a powerful king, I am a beggar,
Although a powerful king, I am a beggar,
If I lack the flames of your love,
Of your love, of your love,
If I lack the fire of your love.

Do not mess with me anymore,
Do not mess with me anymore,
Because you know too well
Because you tease me
Because you tease me.

Original:
Rasgueando las cuerdas de su guitarra,
Rasgueando las cuerdas de su guitarra,
Un sultán se quejaba de su sultana.
Son dos pozos de estrellas tus ojos negros,
Y una rosa sin luna tu pelo negro,
Tu pelo negro, tu pelo negro,
Son dos pozos de estrellas, tus ojos negros.
A mata de romero huele tu cuerpo,
A mata de romero huele tu cuerpo,
No hay en la tierra mora jazmin mas tierno
No hay en la tierra mora jazmin mas tierno
Siendo un rey poderoso soy un mendigo,
Siendo un rey poderoso soy un mendigo,
Si me faltan las llamas de tu cariño,
De tu cariño, de tu cariño,
Si me faltan las llamas de tu cariño.
No te metas más conmigo,
No te metas más conmigo,
Porque de sobra tú sabes
Que tú roneas conmigo,
Que tú roneas conmigo.

 

Translation:
Love’s minstel has wonderful harmony and melody
Every song in his repertoire has a path to a place
May the world never be empty of the cry of lovers
Because it has a sweet and joyful voice
Although our dreg-draining Pir has neither gold nor force,
He has a sin-forgiving and fault-concealing God
My heart was honoured like this sugar-worshipping fly
Since he became Your desire, he has the splendor of the Huma
It is not far from justice, if he asks around
that king who has a beggar for a neighbor
I showed my bloody tears to the physicians, they said:
“It’s love’s pain and the burning of the liver has the cure”
Avoid the tyranny of glances, for in Love’s way
 Each act has a recompense, and every deed, a reward
That idol of a Christian wine seller well said:
“Enjoy the happiness on the face of a pure one”
O Great King!  Hafiz, a member of your court, recites the fatiha
And desires a prayer from your tongue

 

Original:
          مطرب عشق عجب ساز و نوایی دارد
 نقش هر نغمه که زد راه به جایی دارد
                    عالم از ناله عشاق مبادا خالی
که خوش آهنگ و فرح بخش صدايى دارد
     پیر دردی کش ما گر چه ندارد زر و زور
 خوش عطابخش و خطاپوش خدایی دارد
             محترم دار دلم کاین مگس قندپرست
 تا هواخواه تو شد فر همایی دارد
             از عدالت نبود دور گرش پرسد حال
 پادشاهی که به همسایه گدایی دارد
               اشک خونین بنمودم به طبیبان گفتند
 درد عشق است و جگرسوز دوایی دارد
         ستم از غمزه میاموز که در مذهب عشق
 هر عمل اجری و هر کرده جزایی دارد
           نغز گفت آن بت ترسابچه باده فروش
 شادی روی کسی خور که صفایی دارد
 خسروا حافظ درگاه نشین فاتحه خواند
 و از زبان تو تمنای دعایی دارد

Flamenco is Love and Pain

“Flamenco is love and pain,” he said. “Heartbreak. In art there has to be pain, that is clear – it is like life, whether you want it or not, it is there.”

-Vicente Amigo in an interview

 Hafez says…

مرا می*بینی و هر دم زیادت می*کنی دردم

Marâ mibini o hardam, ziyâdat mikoni dardam

Every time you look into my eyes, you put salt into my wounds

تو را می*بینم و میلم زیادت می*شود هر دم

Tow râ mibinam o meylam ziyâdat mishavad har dam

Every time I look into your eyes, my passion soars for you

به سامانم نمی*پرسی نمی*دانم چه سر داری

Beh sâmânam nemiporsi, nemidânam cheh sar dâri

You never ask about my well being, I don’t know what you are going to do with me

به درمانم نمی*کوشی نمی*دانی مگر دردم

Beh darmânam nemikooshi, nemidâni magar dardam

You do not try to heal my wounds as if you are unaware of them

نه راه است این که بگذاری مرا بر خاک و بگریزی

Na râh ast in keh bogzâri marâ bar khâk o bogrizi

Leaving me here on the ground is not respectable

گذاری آر و بازم پرس تا خاک رهت گردم

Gozâri âr o bazam prs ta khâk-e rahat gardam

Return to me and look for me – I will be the dust of your road forever*

ندارم دستت از دامن بجز در خاک و آن دم هم

Nadaram dastat az dâman bejoz dar khâk o ân dam ham

I cannot reach you, I would only reach your skirt if I became dust**, but even in that case

که بر خاکم روان گردی بگیرد دامنت گردم

Keh bar khâkam ravân gardi, begirad dâmanat gardam

When you would walk over my dust, your skirt would absorb all of it***

From Allthelyrics.com

 

Like water…

“Consider the creatures as pure and limpid water, within which shine the Attributes of the Almighty.  Their knowledge, their justice, their kindness all are stars of heaven reflected in flowing water.  Kings are a locus of manifestation for God’s Kingliness, the learned a locus for His Knowledge.  Generations have passed, and this is a new generation. The moon is the same, the water different.  Justice is the same justice, learning the same learning, but peoples and nations have changed.  Generation upon generation has passed, oh friend, but these Meanings are constant and everlasting.  The water in the stream has changed many times, but the reflection of the moon and the stars remains the same.   All pictured forms are reflections in the water of the stream; when you rub your eyes, indeed, all are He.”

Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi qs : Mathnavi VI 3172-78, 83

 

حافظ از مشرب قسمت گله ناانصا فیست   طبع چون آب و غزل‌های روان ما را بس

Hafez, don’t rail against your fate!
Your nature flows,
As does your verse, like water as
It comes and goes…that’s quite enough for me

 

From: Dick Davis.  Faces of Love: Hafez and the Poets of Shiraz.  Mage, 2012

Como el Agua

 

 

Like water

Divine light of my heart
Illuminating my heart
My body walks cheerfully
Because it’s carrying your illusion.

Oh, like water.
Like water.
Like water.

Like clear water
Running down from the mountain,
I want to see you
Day and night.

Oh, like water.
Like water.
Like water.

I want all of your warmth
My body is yours
If you want
We both have fire
Running in our blood.

Oh, like water.
Like water.
Like water.

If your eyes were
Green olive,
All night long, I would be
Crushing
Crushing, crushing,
Crushing
All night long, I would be
Crushing
Crushing, crushing,
Crushing, crushing
Crushing

Oh, like water.
Like water.
Like water.

 

Original

Como el agua

Luz del alma mia divina
que a mi me alumbra mi corazon
mi cuerpo alegre camina
porque de ti lleva la ilusion.

Ay, como el agua.
Como el agua.
Como el agua.

Como el agua clara
que abaja del monte,
asi quiero verte
de dia y de noche.

Ay, como el agua.
Como el agua.
Como el agua.

De ti deseo yo to el calor
pa ti mi cuerpo si
lo quieres tu
fuego en la sangre nos
corre a los dos.

Ay, como el agua.
Como el agua.
Como el agua.

Si tus ojillos fueran
aceitunitas verdes,
toa la noche estaria
muele que
muele, muele que
muele,
toa la noche estaria
muele que
muele, muele
que
muele, muele
que muele.

Ay, como el agua.
Como el agua.
Como el agua.

 

translation and lyrics from this site

 

Hafez and Flamenco

Translation:

Everyone who became an intimate of the heart, remained in my love’s sanctuary
and the one who didn’t understand this remained in denail

 

Don’t fault my heart if it shed its veil.
Thank God it didn’t stay veiled in its imagination

 

The Sufis redeemed all the clothes they pawned for wine
Only our coat remained in the tavern

 

The other Sufis passed by drunk and no one noticed
Only our story remained the talk of every bazaar

 

The ruby wine that we took from that pale hand
Turned to pure regret and remained in our eyes

 

My heart has been his lover from before creation to beyond time
We have heard of no one else who has been eternal in this work

 

I have never seen a more beautiful reminder
than the words of love that linger in this turning dome

 

The narcissus tried to mimic your sultry eyes
Your ways were beyond him, and he lies sick still

 

The robe I wore covered a hundred faults,I pawned it for wine
and what remained was the musician and the infidel’s belt

 

The Chinese painting became so amazed by your beauty
That its speech remained all over the walls

 

One day Hafez’s heart went to gaze at his lovely curls
It meant to return, but remained entangled there forever.

 

 

Modified from Elizabeth Gray’s The Green Sea of Heaven.  White Cloud Press, 1995

Original:

هر که شد محرم دل در حرم يار بماند                  وان که اين کار ندانست در انکار بماند
اگر از پرده برون شد دل من عيب مکن                   شکر ايزد که نه در پرده پندار بماند
صوفيان واستدند از گرو می همه رخت                      دلق ما بود که در خانه خمار بماند
محتسب شيخ شد و فسق خود از ياد ببرد                 قصه ماست که در هر سر بازار بماند
هر می لعل کز آن دست بلورين ستديم                   آب حسرت شد و در چشم گهربار بماند
جز دل من کز ازل تا به ابد عاشق رفت                    جاودان کس نشنيديم که در کار بماند
گشت بيمار که چون چشم تو گردد نرگ                     شيوه تو نشدش حاصل و بيمار بماند
از صدای سخن عشق نديدم خوشتر                            يادگاری که در اين گنبد دوار بماند
داشتم دلقی و صد عيب مرا می‌پوشيد                  خرقه رهن می و مطرب شد و زنار بماند
بر جمال تو چنان صورت چين حيران شد                که حديثش همه جا در در و ديوار بماند
به تماشاگه زلفش دل حافظ روزی                                شد که بازآيد و جاويد گرفتار بماند

They say the world is like that

Look gypsy girl, gypsy girl how I love you
Last night I dreamed about you
I woke up and you’re not there
And I say to myself, girl
How alone I am now
Life is a lie
Life is a lie
And everyone who has money
Has smiles on their faces
In summer the heat
And in winter really cold
And because I have no money
I’ll stay the same
They say the world is like that
Why do they say that?
I know they speak about me
Right now good or badly
I stay happy
Because I stay in the present
And I say to myself
Let them tell me
Let them tell me
They say Alejando Sanz
Is the heart breaker
But when I come out to sing
I give you my heart (my all)
Look, what a gypsy I am
That I sell my shirt
Everywhere I go.

 

Original:

Dicen que el mundo es asi
Que mira gitanita, gitana como te quiero…
Anoche soñe contigo
Me he despierto y tú no estaba
Y me digo mamaíta (x2)
Que solito me quedaba
La vida es una mentira
La vida es un engaño
Y todos que tienen el dinero
Las risas tienen en los labios
En el verano la calor
En el invierno mucho frío
Y yo como no tengo dinero
Me tiro el vestido
Dicen que el mundo es así
¿Por qué lo dice la gente?
Yo sé que hablan de mi
Para bien o malamente
Y yo sigo muy feliz
Porque yo sigue muy presente
Y yo digo para mí
Que me lo cuenten
Y dicen que alejando san
Parte los corazones
Y pero yo cuando
Esa mana canta (x2)
Mira que gitano soy
Que yo vendo mi camisa
Por donde quiera que voy

from http://lyricstranslate.com

Hafez and Estrella Morente

Hafez Ghazal 271

Don’t ask me how many complaints I have about her black hair
For I became so undone because of her that its beyond telling

 

Let no one abandon heart and faith in hope of fidelity
I did this.  Don’t ask me how sorry I am.

 

With one innocent drink that hurt no one,
I drew such trouble from the ignorant that it’s beyond telling

 

Ascetic, pass by.  Peace be with you.
Don’t ask how this ruby wine destroys heart and faith.

 

I desired a life of virtue and righteousness but
That enticing narcissus is so artful it’s beyond telling

 

On this road there are disputes that melt the soul
Each one cries out, “Don’t look at this!  Don’t ask about that!”

 

I thought I would ask the orb of heaven how it was with him
He said, ” I suffer so much in the mallet’s curve it’s beyond telling.”

 

 I said to her, “With whose blood did you curl your hair.”
She said, “Hafiz it’s a long story.  By the Qur’an, don’t ask.”

 

Translation by Elizabeth Gray in The Green Sea of Heaven. White Cloud Press, 1995

Original:
                  دارم از زلف سیاهش گله چندان که مپرس
که چنان ز او شده‌ام بی سر و سامان که مپرس
                      کس به امید وفا ترک دل و دین مکناد
که چنانم من از این کرده پشیمان که مپرس
                  به یکی جرعه که آزار کسش در پی نیست
زحمتی می‌کشم از مردم نادان که مپرس
                   زاهد از ما به سلامت بگذر کاین می لعل
دل و دین می‌برد از دست بدان سان که مپرس
                          پارسایی و سلامت هوسم بود ولی
شیوه‌ای می‌کند آن نرگس فتان که مپرس
                  گفت‌وگوهاست در این راه که جان بگدازد
هر کسی عربده‌ای این که مبین آن که مپرس
                     گفتم از گوی فلک صورت حالی پرسم
گفت آن می‌کشم اندر خم چوگان که مپرس
                         گفتمش زلف به خون که شکستی گفتا
حافظ این قصه دراز است به قرآن که مپرس

 

 

Translation:

It’s not your fault
and I don’t even blame you
I whisper
and these evil tongues
that go around the world
To the mountains of Armenia
I want to go
where there are no Moors or Christians
talking about me
I don’t sleep at night,
nor during the day
thinking of my love
I lose my mind

Original:

Tu no tienes la culpa
ni yo a ti te culpo
me lo murmuran
y esa malas lenguas
que andan por el mundo

a la sierra de Armenia
yo me quiero ir
donde no hubiera
moros ni cristianos
que hablen de mi

y de noche no duermo
de día tampoco
pensando en mi compañero
yo me vuelvo loca

 

 

Camaron-I’m a captive of your eyes

If Ibn al-Farid wrote Flamenco lyrics, they’d sound like this 

 

Translation:

Whether the sun comes out or not
It doesn’t matter to me
If light illuminates me
It’s when I see you

 

Torment and contempt
is all the world can offer me
I bear it glady
ever since I met you

 

I’m held captive and I feel happy
I live happy and at ease
Only having you

 

Original:

Que salga el sol o que no salga,
Eso qué me importa a mí,
Si la luz que a mí m’alumbra
Es cuando te veo a ti.

Sólo tormento y disgusto
Que me puede el mundo ofrecer
Si yo lo llevo con gusto
Desde que yo te encontré.

Soy cautivo y yo me siento feliz,
Contento y a gusto vivo
Sólo con tenerte a ti.

Songs from Andalus

Fado: Casa de Fados

(from Carlos Saura’s film Fados)

 

Lyrics (from the film’s subtitles):

First singer:
A lost friendship can never return
It’s a forged firendship
 That jokingly comes and goes
It’s a forged friendship
that jokingly comes and goes
No one gives a thing
If behind that gesture there is no value
Only a friend can give love without receiveing

 

Second:
My mother I sing tonight
For the day has punished me
And in the silence of things
I find a friendly voice
And in the silence of things
I find a friendly voice
My mother I cry tonight
for the love I am drowning in
For the words of life
Have no other world
For I am this song
Mother, So hurt
I wear this body at night
without fate but with fado
I wear this body at night
without fate but with fado

 

Third:
Maybe fado will tell me what no one wants to say
That is why I chase it so that I may understand myself
That is why I chase it so that I may understand myself
My love I have sung
Under the last sky
Because I surrender myself in every last fado as if it were the first
Maybe fado does not ask me for everything I give it
So even when I forget
It does not forget me
So even when I forget
It does not forget me

 

Carminho (my favorite):
I cried for not seeing you
For seeing you I cry
I cried for not seeing you
For seeing you I now cry
Harder for wanting
Wanting to see you all the time
Time rushes past
When you talk and I listen
But the hours of our life
Each has a moment
Stay beside me
And never leave
So that my heart poor thing
May live life in an hour
So that my heart poor thing
May live life in an hour
Riberio:
Do not be afraid of fame, ill-famed Alfama
Do not be afraid of fame, ill-famed Alfama
Fame sometimes defames good honorable people

 

Other guy:
Fadistas come with me
Listen to the street fado
And sing a street duel
In a charming ancient quarter

 

Riberio:
Let’s go as I have said
You will see when the day dawns
How fun the revelry was
In the old Alfama quarter
Do not be afraid of fame ill-famed Alfama

 

Other guy:
I know of the world you speak
But surely I know wrong
I know what the world is saying
But surely out of spite
For was it always not true
That tales were told?
 Many people there lived
Very quiet lives
Which in a spiteful way are muddied
Fame
Sometimes defames
Good honorable people

Flamenco: Camarón-Rosa Maria

(rough translation of the lyrics)

Country Wildflowers
Water from the clear lagoon
That’s how I describe the colors of your face

Rosa Maria, Rosa Maria
if you loved me, how happy I would be

I envy the flowers
the mirror where you look
the brush of your hair
and the air that you breathe
and the air that you breathe

Rosa Maria, Rosa Maria
if you loved me, how happy I would be

She’s joy and beauty
and grace in her walk
and even your laugh is beautiful
and different from the rest

Rosa Maria, Rosa Maria
if you loved me, how happy I would be

Rosa Maria, Rosa Maria
if you loved me, how happy I would be

 

Camarón and Paco de Lucia por Siguriyas

 

Andalusian mawwal: Omar Metioui-El secreto encuentro

Lyrics from Ibn ‘Arabi’s tarjuman al-ashwaq:

ألا يا نسيم الريح بلغ مها نجد      بأني على ما تعلمون من العهد

فان كان حقا ما تقول و عندها    إليّ من الشوق المبرّح ما عندي

إليها ففي حرّ الظهيرة نلتقي    بخيمتها سرا على أصدق الوعد

translation:
O Morning breeze, go tell the gazelles of Najd
   that, “I’m true to the vow you know of”
And if what she says is true and she
   has for me the desperate longing I have
for her, then in the heat of noon we’ll meet
   in her tent secretly, with the most sincere promise