Shah Latif `s Poetry (Translated In Verse By: Elsa Kazi) Khambat-III (Haven)

1
A moolit night, an open plain,and so for yet to go;My camel look not back, for you't is shame to waver so;Be steady, resolute, and showmy loved-ones you can reach
2
O full moon! though you rise adorned,your beauty to enhance;You are not a blink worth of my loveWith all charms you advance,Since your whole being but one glanceof the Beloved is.
3
A hundred suns may rise, and blazefour score-four moons may shine;I vow, without Beloved mineI am in darkest night
4
O moon, by magic fade away;may you be shorn of light-Or hide yourself so that I mightthe soul's Beloved meet.
5
In darkest midnight, the Belovedshows himself so clear;the moon and pleiades disappearyea, like an echo mere.
II
6
O moon, cast first thy silver-rayon the Beloved when you rise;And for thy Maker's sake, O moonmessage of helpless one convey;"My hopeful longing eyes, thy waywith tears are watching everyday."
7
O moon, the moment that you risefirst glance at the Beloved castSay to the dear one: I am sickIn you my only comfort lies"My hopeful and relying eyesAre ever set expecting you"
8
O moon, when you ascend the skiesfirst glance at the Beloved cast My message to the friend conveyCorrectly all, and all precise"M y hopeful and relying eyesare ever set expecting thee"
9
Rise moon, see the Beloved-thouart near and far am IPresence of Him in scented dewsI feel, that in night doth lie-On foot I cannot reach and father gives camel can't supplyOn which riding, ere dawn draws nighI easily could reach.
10
I shall die longing, love is kindbut Oh...so far is HeFather gives camel not to me-I am too weak to walk.
11
To the Beloved, when you riseO moon, thy very first glance send;And all the message I giveO moon, convey in truthful wise;"My hopeful and relying eyesare ever set expecting you."
12
Thy glance let the Beloved meet,O moon, and my requests submitBefittingly; above courtyardof the Beloved bow and greet;Speak gently...on Beloved's feetboth of thy light-hands softly lay.
13
O moon, all my entreaties safeinto thy shining garment tie,Low'ring your head, to loved one tellin what a wretched state am I;Remember; to the place you hieThat is whole universe's Hope.
III
14
O camel! spurn thy slothful mood-No longer now delay!But once unite me with my loveno more the truant play,But speed, ere night doth pass awayto meet my love after.
15
I must go where my love resides;to the Beloved speed!There I shall give thee sandal-woodand thou shalt no more feedOn salt-bush coarse, unfit for theeor any worthless weed;O hasten! there is urgent needto reach while night doth last.
16
Arise and take a forward step-be not an idler base;The highway to my love is straightand hath no winding ways...Self-pity drop...a gallop raiseto bring us swift and soon.
17
Remember your ancestry, andyour forebear's noble breed;Your stock is well-known near and farand you do hold indeed;Rare pedigree-and so we pleadshow us some kindness now.
18
I bound him near some glorious treethat he some buds might eat;Ill-mannered camel, on the slystill finds the salt-bush sweet.Woe's me-I know not how to treatCamel that so confounds.
19
I tried to saddle him, but e'enunsaddled he'd not rise-The way the herd is gone, he liesand only gapes that side.
20
My camel, I will give thee reinsof gold, and trappings fine;Not only buds of sandal woodbut thou on myrth shalt dine;If to the one Beloved mine thou wilt bring me this night.
21
The camel did forget the herd,nor e'en will salt-bush eat...His blown-up hump has now becomehis pampered passion's seat-Alas, this callous, new conceithe'll not drop unto death.
22
He goes not with the herd of lateand no more will he graze;Since Cupid's arrow wounded himhe hugs a curious craze;To his new love, with love-sick gazehe crawls, defying death.
23
Now sits with herd, musk-branches eats;yet calm remains his faceAh me, apparently my camelshows no outward trace.'Here' he is with the world, but grazewith heart doth fondly 'there'.
24
He's not what he was yesterdayreturning to the yard;He never at the manager looks-all food doth disregard;Seems, poison creepers on the swardhe ate when with the herd.
25
With zest thee camel browses nowon creepers such as made him yearn;But owners, keepers of the field,with shouts his sweet indulgence spurnThe poor intruder, powerlesshe grows from voices harsh and stern;No answer finds he in returnand all his arduous madness flies.
26
Good animal, what you did putyour teeth in, finding them so sweet;These baneful creepers if you eatwill bring you yet to grief and woe.
IV
27
Torrents of rain and wind-camelthere obstinate he lies-How shall I saddle him when riseunsaddled he will not.
28
A solid braided rope construct,with this your camel blind,The frgrant creepers everywhereall over grounds you'll find,Once tasted, he will leave behindall else, if he's not tied.
29
I fettered him with rope and chain,but shackles were in vain;He broke them all, and dragged them onwhere creepers decked the plain-O God, put sence and understandingin this camel's brainWith mercy free him from this painto rise above this curse.
30
O rise, and to thy haven farthy earthbound glances bear,May be a happy welcome thereawaits thee from thy love.
31
No-go and schackle him, he willrun wild if left alone;By temting him to cat, he'll playmore pranks, but won't alone;Load him and let him graze and groanwith heavy fetters bound.
32
Who laid a spell on you? and whowaylaid you, wished you ill?Blinkers you wear-your soles rubbed off-your kind not meet you will;And round and round, as in a millyou circumambulate.
33
My comely camel, won't you eatthe sandal wood and drink your fillOf cleanest purest water, foodthe finest you refuse it still-What law gave you the tasty thrillof salt-bush mere, above all else?
34
At last my camel every dayis browsing in that garden, whereTwo tree-shoots are worth millions therehandful of leaves are thousands worth.
35
Two tree-shoots are worth millions...nayone leaf alone five lakhs will be-Now to enrich his soul he eats,the wholesome blossoms of this tree-Here e'en a withered leaf we seeis many, many hundreds worth.
36
My lakhs-worth camel, that I boughtfor hundreds, beautiful becameFor any eye to see; don't blameand say too dearly he was bought.
37
My invaluable camel, friend,no praise is now for him too high;His manager fill with cardamomsthen saddle him, and he will fly,All distance he will defy,and here and now the Loved-one reach.

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