1. O you whose heart is lost in passion's maze,
The flood with you has flowed, unknowing;

2. To what ascetic heights have you now turned
In piety, like virtuous Hasan!

3. A body once so hale you've weakened now,
Your heart on living coals now tossing;

4. No anguished cry will aid me with you all,
Nor can I now find patience in my soul.

5. What I inside conceal is as a mote
Upon the sea's immensity;

6. A day to me's a year until I see
Your face; an hour's a month now hollowly.

7. And by my God, but for my constant gaze
To sun or moon when you are far away,

8. I could not curb my soul and its caprice,
Nor settle down my heart beat steadfastly,

9. As though it were a crystal cup brimful
Of musk and wine in mingled rarity,

10. Whose inmost essence, far beyond all ken,
Is only known to me in phantasy.

11. That cup whose draft, if I could drink thereof,
No other sickness would I know till death.

12. Why should your people, who no perfume see,
Find fault with you who are perfume itself?

13. She who reproached me for what fancied thing,
Knows not what stuff man's true life's made of.

14. I've done no evil, only thought of her;
Then punish me, for God rules equity,

15. Just arbiter of odd and even numbers.
One glance has marred my heart, that wanton boy,

16. Who by his eyes and lips can sorcery.
Had I but known he was a sorcerer,

17. Against his spells I would have taken pre-
cautions.

18. I used to greet him mildly, taking pains
Lest any pride in him my greeting spurn.

19. But when I spoke to him of love, he cried
Abuse and bitter, angry words in turn.

20. Would he but come again, and we'd return
To what we were, until the judgment day.

21. Without this estrangement, love were sweet;
God guard us against all rejecting way!