1. My soul grew weary of life with people
And was bored even of loved ones

2. Boredom penetrated it to the extent
That it was fed up with their food and drink

3. Of lies wearing the robe of truth
While this one was cloaked in lies

4. Of ugliness in a beautiful veil
And beauty under a thousand veils

5. Of worshippers, each worshipping a god
And unbelievers in false gods

6. Of those standing still like idols
And those bowing to idols

7. Of riders of the steeds of glory
And riders racing on lively horses

8. Some were silent like still lambs
While others buzzed like flies

9. In it wisdom of elders seemed trivial
And careless of all that’s for the youth

10. It said, “Leave the city for the wilderness
For in it lies salvation from my woes

11. Let the night be my monk and meteors my
Candles, and all the land my prayer niche

12. My book the sky in which I read
Chapters I never read in any book

13. My prayers what the streams murmur
And my hymns the breeze’s voice in the forest

14. My cups are leaves on which the sun
Poured molten radiance at sunset

15. And my wine what dripped from the eyelid of dawn
On the grass like melted gum

16. Let the hand of evening kohl my eyes
And its dreams embrace my eyelids

17. Let the mouth of morning kiss my forehead
And its breeze perfume my robe

18. Let me be like the crow taking sustenance
In the wasteland, while in the valley is my turmoil and fluttering

19. An hour in solitude is better than years
Spent in palaces and encampments

20. Oh my soul, it has seduced me
With its elegant and flirtatious talk

21. So here I am, avoiding palaces
And the people of palaces with domes

22. I shunned settlements, shaking my hands
To rid my cloak of their dust and burdens

23. I left the protected grounds and wandered
While the graceful steed went riderless

24. Guided by the glow of dawn, for if the night
Darkens, we take the shooting star as guide

25. And spent a beautiful time in the forest
Near the wild roses and plants

26. At times in the glow of sunlight
At others in the glow of mist

27. Like a breeze I frolic in the valley
And like a flowing stream at times on the slopes

28. In the shade on the hills, and the light above
The hills and over the slopes

29. Only my soul that got bored of settlements
Got bored in the forest of the silence of the forest

30. So here I am independent, free
As if roaming around in a basement

31. Life in the wasteland taught me
Wherever I reside, it is in the dust

32. And I will remain as long as I am
In the cage of separation, a prisoner of desires

33. I imagined I was alone in the wasteland
But all the people were in my clothes