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Monday, October 14, 2013

"How am I ?" you ask -- How would I know anymore?

مرا گویی: «چه سانی؟» من چه دانم؟

«کدامی وز کیانی؟» من چه دانم؟

مرا گویی: «چنین سرمست و مخمور

ز چه رطلِ گرانی؟» من چه دانم؟

مرا گویی: «در آن لب او چه دارد

کز او شیرین زبانی؟» من چه دانم؟

مرا گویی: «در این عُمرت چه دیدی

بِه از عمر و جوانی؟» من چه دانم؟

بدیدم آتشی اندر رخِ او

چو آبِ زندگانی، من چه دانم؟

اگر من خود توام پس تو کدامی؟

تو اینی یا تو آنی؟ من چه دانم؟

چنین اندیشه‌ها را من که باشم؟

تو جانِ مهربانی، من چه دانم؟

مرا گویی که «بر راهش مقیمی؟»

مگر تو راهبانی! من چه دانم؟

مرا گاهی کمان سازی گهی تیر

تو تیری یا کمانی، من چه دانم؟

خُنُک آن دم که گویی: «جانت بخشم؟»

بگویم من: «تو دانی، من چه دانم؟»

ز بی‌صبری بگویم: «شمس تبریز،

چنینی و چنانی» من چه دانم؟



"How am I?" you ask? -- What can I say?

You ask me how I’m doing? --What can I say?
 
You ask me where do I come from? From which community?" you ask-- What can I say?

"From what wine-vat did you become this drunk?" you ask -- What can I say?

You ask me:
"What did the beloved have in those the lips --
from which your speech flows sweet?" -- What can I say?

You ask me:
“What have you seen in your lifetime that is better than life and youth?"-- What can I say?

I spotted a fire in the Beloved's face
that looked like the fountain of life—
What can I say?

If I myself, am you, then which one are You?
I ask : Are You This One or that one?—
What can I say?

Who am I to think these thoughts?
You being that kind essence of my life –
What can I say?
  
You ask me:
"Are you steadfast on the Beloved's Way? If so, are you a guide?" -- What can I say?

You craft me sometimes, into a bow, and sometimes into an arrow
But which one are You: the arrow or the bow?
What can I say?

When you tell me you’ll give me life , in that happy moment I’ll reply
"You know best -- What can I say?"

When I’m impatient I call on Him upon [My Guide] Shams of Tabriz:
“Are you going to be this way?”
What can I say?





2 comments:

Unknown said...

Thank you for sharing!

Unknown said...

Dear Ali,

Thank you so much for sharing this. If only I loved closer, I would go to hear you speak in a heartbeat.
XXXXXX