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and he made sure of attaining his hope and his wish; wherefore he broke out into carol and sang the following verses:
Say to those who know nought of my transport and heat For a loved one, whose favours they never may meet,
‘Ask my folk of my passion: my verses are sweet And dainty the ditties of love I repeat
On a people whose thought in my heart hath its seat.’
Their mention with me chaseth sickness away From my bosom and heals me of pain and dismay;
My love and my longing increase on me aye And my heart is distracted with ecstasy; yea,
I’m a byword become ’mongst the folk in the street.
I will not accept aught of blame on their part Nor seek solace in other than them for love’s smart.
Love hath pierced me, for grief and regret, with a dart And hath kindled a brazier therefrom in my heart;
Yea, still in my liver there rageth its heat.
My sickness the folk for a wonderment cite And my wakefulness all through the darkness of night.
What ailed them my weakness with rigours to smite? In passion the shedding my blood they deem right;
Yet justly they me with injustice entreat.
I wonder who charged you to drive to despair A youth who still loves and will love you fore’er?
By my life and by Him your Creator I swear, If a saying of you should the backbiters bear,
By Allah, they lie in the tale they repeat!
May God not dispel from me sickness and pain Nor my heart of its thirst and its longing assain,
Of your love for satiety when I complain! Indeed, to none other than you am I fain.
Wring my heart or show favour, as seems to you meet.
My heart to your mem’ry shall ever be true, Though your rigours should rack it and cause it to rue;
Rejection abides and acceptance with you: So whatever you will with your bondman, that do;
He’ll grudge not his life to lay down at your feet.
