From Maḥmūd Shabistarī’s Gulshan-i Rāz (ll. 742-756)
[Persian, 14th century]
From Her eyes came forth anguish and intoxication;
from Her ruby lips, the innermost fount of being.
Hearts became tipsy and lovesick due to Her eyes
and the souls of men were veiled by Her ruby lips.
Hearts became afflicted with sorrow due to Her eyes
and were restored to health by a smile of Her lips.
Though Her eyes have disdained this earthly realm,
often has Her ruby lips quivered with compassion.
Oftentimes She has won our hearts with kindness
and has brought solace to those bereft of hope.
By a smile She has given life to our water and clay;
by a breath She has set the celestial vault ablaze.
Each enticing glance of Her eyes has been a snare,
inviting us to the tavern in the corner of Her eyes.
With a glance She has laid this creation to waste,
with a kiss She has rebuilt the mansion of being.
Our blood has boiled incessantly due to Her eyes,
our souls have become frenzied due to Her lips.
She has plundered our hearts by a glance of Her eyes,
she has raised up our souls by a smile of Her lips.
If you seek an embrace from Her eyes and Her lips,
one will tell you ‘No’, the other will answer ‘Yes’.
By a glance She has ended Her work of creation;
by a kiss She has many a time revived our souls.
One glance of Her eyes and we surrender our lives;
one kiss of Her lips, we are brought to life again:
as the Last Day will come in the ‘twinkling of an eye’,*
so the spirit of Adam was created by a breath.
When it pauses to meditate on Her eyes and Her lips,
the world yields itself to the adoration of wine.
*Qur’ān 54:50
[my translation]
Persian text: http://ganjoor.net/shabestari/golshaneraz/sh51/
No comments:
Post a Comment