Ghazal · 13th century

A Human Being Is What I Long For

Rumiمولانا

یعقوب‌وار «وا اسفا»ها همی زنم

Like Jacob I keep crying, ‘Alas, alas’;

دیدار خوب یوسف کنعانم آرزوست

the fair sight of Joseph of Canaan is what I long for.

والله که شهر بی‌تو مرا حبس می‌شود

By God, without you the city becomes a prison to me;

آوارگی و کوه و بیابانم آرزوست

wandering, the mountains and the desert are what I long for.

زین همرهان سست‌عناصر دلم گرفت

My heart is weary of these feeble companions;

شیر خدا و رستم دستانم آرزوست

the Lion of God and Rostam son of Dastan are what I long for.

جانم ملول گشت ز فرعون و ظلم او

My soul is sick of Pharaoh and his tyranny;

آن نور روی موسی عمرانم آرزوست

the light on the face of Moses son of Imran is what I long for.

زین خلق پرشکایت گریان شدم ملول

Weeping, I have grown weary of these complaining people;

آن های هوی و نعره مستانم آرزوست

the hey and the ho and the shouts of the drunken are what I long for.

گویاترم ز بلبل اما ز رشک عام

I am more eloquent than the nightingale, but for the envy of the crowd

مهر است بر دهانم و افغانم آرزوست

there is a seal on my mouth, and crying out is what I long for.

دی شیخ با چراغ همی گشت گرد شهر

Yesterday the master went round the town with a lamp,

کز دیو و دد ملولم و انسانم آرزوست

saying, ‘I am weary of demons and beasts; a human being is what I long for.’

گفتند «یافت می‌نشود، جسته‌ایم ما»

They said, ‘He cannot be found; we have searched.’

گفت «آنک یافت می‌نشود، آنم آرزوست»

He said, ‘The one who cannot be found is what I long for.’

From: The Divan of Shams
Translation: Persiahaus Editors
Source: Draft translation from the Ganjoor text
Persian text: Ganjoor

A note for readers

From the ghazal that begins «بنمای رخ که باغ و گلستانم آرزوست», ‘Show your face, for the garden and the rose bed are what I long for’, one of the best known in the Divan of Shams; every couplet ends on arezust, ‘is what I long for’. The Lion of God is a title of Ali, and Rostam is the hero of the Shahnameh. The master searching the town with a lamp recalls the story told of Diogenes. The excerpt gives couplets 8 to 15 of twenty-four.