Sol 5.6

  1. O you who are stingy even in returning a greeting,

    At dawn, a phantom born of your image visited me.

  2. When it arrived, cleaving the wing of the deep darkness,

    I said, “Welcome—a visitor who comes as my guest!”

  3. Whenever I sought to draw near it, it withdrew afar;

    despite my warm welcome, it showed me only cruelty.

  4. I said, “How can I escape the love of a gazelle

    who has enthralled me, when asking ‘how?’ is no help?”

  5. With a figure from which a spear was brandished at me,

    and a glance from which a sword was drawn against me.

  6. Tears pour down, while a flame’s heat rages:

    winter dwells in my eyes, and summer in my heart.

  7. My crop was his affection—the harvest I had hoped for—

    but behold, from him a scorching wind struck the crop.

  8. When I see him, I grow still deeper in affection;

    when he sees me, he grows still more averse to me.

  9. I swear by the Station, the Corner, and the House,

    and by all that the Prophet’s Family and al-Khayf embrace:

  10. my love is truly pure and full of clarity,

    while all the loves of humankind are counterfeit.

Sol 5.6