1. After the morning when I bade you farewell
I saw no other morn in all the nights since.

2. The first dawn after being with you slipped by
And my eyes saw no second dawn.

3. Since you left, all time is but night I don
And living without you, grief I endure.

4. My longing almost made me shun all people -
With any soul alive, converse eschew.

5. But visions of you still come to find me
In every glance of eye that I let fly.

6. Fantasy portrayed your image in my sight
From all the memories graven in my heart.

7. Each human face I chance to look upon
Seems you - from out my eyes your shade doth rise.

8. The zealous youths blame my obsesséd love,
Their arrows make me swoon, bring blame thereby.

9. They vilify my love as infidelity
Yet only try me, he who pardons me.

10. To curb the lover from his dear, you say
Words that mean naught to him who feels the sting.

11. Reproach the longing one deserves no less
Than arrows in his heart that pierce and fling.

12. A man can aim his arrows as he please,
None thwarts his piercing shaft’s fierce thrusting.

13. Leave my heart be - for love is its commander,
Its monitor, mere trifles to its king.

14. I thank my cave, though remote it be,
And ceaseless did I shun its narrowing.

15. Does longing lift me high, some phantom comes
To cheer my spirit and allay its sting.

16. From my dear friends a graceful ghost draws nigh
To grace my eyes whene’er I pine or sing.

17. Like Isfahan, when graced by Fortune’s Son -
The kingdom shook, all in his glory’s ring.

18. As quick to give as lightning is to strike,
All good he would obtain, he sought to bring.

19. He routs all fear and havoc in the fray
With yeoman’s hand that rights the listing king.

20. In his hand the pen he always set aside
To let fair judgement run its proper string.

21. If once to Holy Writ he bent his head,
No angel there but sought his gathering.

22. If once he plunged deep in his sea of grace,
His line would gems and pearls be harvesting.

23. O peerless in the world as to thy worth,
Creation’s marvel spinning fortune’s string!

24. If war’s turmoil left the world no peace,
Only thou couldst stand when terror battered kings.

25. Thou art not one whose power abandoned him;
The more glory gained, still nobler seeming.

26. And who shall bear the throne its tidings, who?
That message which its minions love to bring?

27. So thou might set upon thy head its helm
And truth e’er guide thee through dread danger’s ring.

28. For thou made real what dreams could not relate
As to the buttressed pillars of its wing.

29. Else what were th’ rule, hadst thou not lent thine aid
When envious strangers sought to end its spring?

30. The wolf grew bold whilst the shepherd tarried;
Almost he dared to rend his final string!

31. Had thy support but flagged a moment’s breath,
Dire were the straits from which we’d be writhing.

32. Thy wise rede raised his flag and thy banners
And lofty thee was yet more soaring.

33. Till when the conquest by thy hand was done,
The throne inclined to all thou saidst in bringing.

34. A blade thou wert, when battle raged, blood-dripping,
Then when the fray was finished, sheathed its sting.

35. No wonder if without thee things went awry -
The whip’s enough, the sword they have no need swing!

36. These days so racked with torment do suggest
How wayward Fortune’s nights with day conspiring.

37. Like visions in a pool that show below
Tall shadows looming overhead whilst lying.

38. Though standing on its toes, each foot is sunk
And highest head deep in the mud is prying!

39. Methinks, my lord, such things take place today
As never thou wouldst brook, or give a blessing.

40. Bear thy hard epoch that shall pass thee by
And subtly note the specious and the sly.

41. Though long the darkness yet shall lift anon
If thou hast patience for the dawn’s first sign.

42. Had Time kept on an even keel, unbroken,
Its early bands ne’er this late hour defining.

43. Arouse thy courage for the hoped-for fate,
Thy like arises, remote grows the nighing.

44. Nor say the age is filled with perturbation;
How can one find repose mid chaos vying?

45. The bow was bent, no straightness in its shape,
Yet still the arrow flew unerring, plying.

46. The true religion shone as brilliant Hesper
And would not dim the path of rightful guiding.

47. It is God’s light he lights effortlessly.
How vain the mouths attempting Him denying!

48. His many graces over honours high
Are worth all ransom that the world could buy.

49. Yet envy sought to take his fame away
And harm so doing, but his light kept shining.

50. Naught hid from him what fate for him did will
Had from the first his purpose been undying.

51. If dread of time’s caprice fills any soul
Not so the bold whom enemies defying!

52. As fire with moth, thus rivals and their ilk;
It slays them even as they are with it vying.

53. Last scion of the throne’s defender, thee
His glory and his summit testifying!

54. The noble lords stand with thee, charming still
As full moons circle with their stars complying.

55. Length of days to you and blessed abode
Whose corners spread as if wings were flying!

56. All but that noble tomb whose dweller lives,
Hosts of the Highest grant him blessings sighing.

57. God’s grace sends prayers that circle without end,
Sweet winds around his grave come fanning, crying.

58. The tree of glory you stand blossoming
No metaphor nor allegory plying.

59. You are the branches that highest thrust on high
And that, the root deep in the soil lying.

60. Thus may honour keep his memory.
His glory lost not till the world’s undoing!

61. So that thy sire become a verse unique
Its words erased but meaning never dying -

62. Till end of time! Nor ever fade the rays
Shed by his brilliance Resurrection’s dawning!