Diwaan-e-Mo’in: Ghazal 16

Man che guyam ke maraa naateqa madhush aamad Bar delam zaabeta-ye-‘aql faraamush aamad How can I speak when my tongue has become intoxicated? My mind has become silent and powerless over my heart. Sail raa na’ra az aan ast ke az bahr jodaa-st Daan ke baa bahr dar aamikhta khamush aamad The river is boisterous because it is separated from the ocean: Know that after union with the ocean it is becalmed forever. Noktahaa dush delam goft o shanid az lab-e-yaar Ke na hargez ba-zabaan raft o na dar gush aamad My heart uttered secrets coming from the Friend’s lips last night, Which have never been spoken by any tongue or heard by any ear. Shaahed-e-ghaib koshaada ast neqaab az…

Diwaan-e-Mo’in: Ghazal 15

Here is a ghazal from the Diwaan-e-Mo’in (Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, Patna): Maa be-fekrash az behesht o hur o ghelman faareghim Az na’im-e-har do ‘aalam be-har jaanaan faareghim Because of my contemplation on Him I’m free of paradise and heavenly pleasures. Because of my Beloved I’m free of the desires of both worlds. Qut az khaan-e-kobaita ‘enda rabbi khorda aim Aan ghezaa’ nawshida aim az aab o az naan faareghim I’ve eaten the sweetest food from the table of the Lord; After having digested that food I’m free of water and bread. Tefl-e-jaan raa daaya-e-lotf azal miparwarad Laajaram az mahd o shahd o shir o pestaan faareghim My infant soul has been nourished by a loving fostermother in pre-eternity….

Diwaan-e-Mo’in: Ghazal 14

‘Eshqat del o jaanam raa taa kard jodaa az man Jaan o del-e-man digar na-shenaakht toraa az man Your love has separated my heart and soul from myself. My heart and soul cannot see the difference between You and myself. Bar sham’e-jamaal-e-to parwaana sefat gashtam Yak sho’la padid aamad be-setaand maraa az man I have become like a butterfly because of the candle of Your beauty. One clear ray of light separated me from myself. Shab taa be-sahar hastam andar hormat-e-mahram Chun ruz shawad poshi rokhsaar cheraa az man From nightfall till morning I have been Your intimate companion, But now that the day has dawned, why is Your face hidden from myself? Har chand ke waa gashtam u dar…

Diwaan-e-Mo’in: Ghazal 13

Man namiguyam ana’l haqq yaar miguyad begu Chun naguyam chun maraa deldaar miguyad begu. It is not me who said ‘I am the Truth’; the Friend forced me to say it. How can I not say it when the Beloved has asked me to say it? Har che migofti be-man har baar migofti magu Man namidaanam cheraa in baar miguyad begu You used to tell me never to disclose what You have revealed to me. I don’t understand why You ask me this time to disclose it openly. Aanche natawaan goftan andar sawma’a baa zaahedaan Bi tahaashi bar sar-e-bazaar miguyad begu Those mysteries which could not be spoken about to the inmates of the hermitage, I am now asked to…

Diwaan-e-Mo’in: Ghazal 12

Chashm be-koshaai ke aafaaq por az nur-e-khodaast Khaali az nur-e-khodaa dar hama aafaaq kojaast Open your eyes, because the whole world is full with the light of God. Which place in the whole world is without the light of God? Ma’ni kaz nazar-e-khalq nehaan bud modaam Nek benegar ke namudaar az in surat-e-maast That spiritual meaning which always was hidden from the eyes of creatures, You can now clearly behold in my outward appearance. Aan jamaali ke nazar niz daraan mahram nist Hamchu khurshid darin aayinaye-maa paydaast It is not forbidden to see that beauty therein, Just like the sun gets reflected in my mirror. Goftamash chand buwad hosn-e-to penhaan gofta Hosn paidaast wale dida-e-binanda keraast I asked Him: ‘How…

Diwaan-e-Mo’in: Ghazal 11

Gar pardahaaye aab o gel az jaan o del yaksu shawad  Az keswat-e-har zarra mehr-e-degar birun shawad If the veil of the body would be pushed aside from heart and soul, From the outer cover of each atom a different sun would then emerge. Har kas ke andar sayr-e-u haqq bud qasd-e-tayr-e-u Yaabad  wesaal-e-ghayr-e-u az zakhm-e-hejraan khun shawad Every traveller towards Him has the right to desire to make speedy progress towards Him, But if he’d find himself in the company of others, then blood will come out from the wound of separation from Him. Har taalebi kaan jaa ze jaan baa ‘aasheqaan shod ham ‘eyaan Aanjaa borad guy az miyaan bar molk-e-afridun shawad Every seeker who together with other…

Diwaan-e-Mo’in: Ghazal 10

Toraa mikhaaham ay delbar ke binam To’i maqsud-e-man dar har ke binam O Beloved! It is You I wish to see. I desire only You in all that I see. Maraa chasm az baraaye didan-e-tost To rokh na-nomaayaim pas-e-dar ke binam My eyes are only there in order to see You. If You don’t show Your face to me, what else can I see? Jamaal-e-saaqi-ye-man minomaayad Be-meraat-e-mai o saaghar ke binam The beauty of my cupbearer appears everywhere: In the mirror of the wine, in the goblet and in all that I see. Chonaanat dida am az dida-ye-del Ke na-shenaasam be-chasm-e-sar ke binam That manifestation of You which I’ve seen with the eyes of my heart, Cannot be understood by…

Diwaan-e-Mo’in: Ghazal 9

Man yaar toraa daaram o aghyaar namikhaaham Ghair az to ke del bordi deldaar namikhaaham You are my Friend and I don’t want any other. You are my Beloved and I don’t want any other to capture my heart. Khaari ke ze dard-e-to khastast maraa dar del Man khasta-e-aan khaaram golzaar namikhaaham A thorn of pain coming from You has wounded my heart, But I don’t want to replace this wound by any flower. Gar jelwa dehi bar del naqd-e-do jahaan guyam Man ‘aasheq-e-didaaram dinaar namikhaaham If You polish my heart, I’ll pay all the cash of both worlds for it. I love to see You and it is money I don’t want. Serri ke maraa baa tost baa ghair…

Diwaan-e-Mo’in: Ghazal 8

This is a translation of ghazal 69 to be found on p. 63 of the “Diwaan-e-Amir Khosraw“: Many a night I was with a moon; Where are all those nights gone? Now it is night again, but it is dark, Because of the smoke of my cries: ‘O Lord!’ Those were happy nights, the ones I’ve spent with her: Sometimes drunk and sometimes merry-headed. My world becomes dark, When I remember those nights. I used to tell the tale again and again Of her eyebrows and eyelashes, Like children reciting at school The chapter of the Qur’an starting with Nun and the Pen. What would happen If one night she would ask How a stranger below her wall Would pass…

Diwaan-e-Mo’in: Ghazal 7

Aateshi afrukht ‘eshq o jesm o jaan-e-man ba-sukht Goftam aahi bar kasham kaam o zabaan-e-man ba-sukht Love has set on fire my body and soul, they are burning! I’ve brought out a sigh: it has burnt up both my mouth and tongue. Aatesh-e-dozagh nadarad taabesh-e-suz-e-feraaq Aah az in aatesh ke paida o nehaan-e-man ba-sukht The fire of hell is not so intense as the heat of the fire of separation. This fire caused so much pain: it has burnt up both my body and soul. Naar-e-dozagh gar che suzad posthaaye ‘aasiyaan Aatesh-e-hejraanash maghz-e-ostokhwaan-e-man ba-sukht While the fire of hell may burn the skin of the sinners, The fire of separation from Him has burnt up the marrow of my bones….