Ghazal · 16th century

Come Back

Vahshi Bafqiوحشی بافقی

آه ، تا کی ز سفر باز نیایی؟ بازآ

Ah, how long before you come back from your journey? Come back.

اشتیاق تو مرا سوخت. کجایی؟ بازآ

Longing for you has burned me. Where are you? Come back.

شده نزدیک که هجران تو، ما را بکشد

Your absence has come close to killing me;

گر همان بر سر خونریزی مایی، بازآ

if you are still bent on shedding my blood, come back.

کرده‌ای عهد که بازآیی و ما را بکشی

You promised you would come back and kill me;

وقت آنست که لطفی بنمایی، بازآ

it is time you showed some kindness: come back.

رفتی و باز نمی‌آیی و من بی‌تو به جان

You went, and you do not come back, and without you I am in torment;

جان من اینهمه بی‌رحم چرایی؟ بازآ

my soul, why are you so pitiless? Come back.

وحشی از جرم همین کز سر آن کو رفتی

Vahshi, for this one crime of leaving the head of that street,

گرچه مستوجب صد گونه جفایی، بازآ

though you deserve a hundred kinds of cruelty, come back.

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

A note for readers

The first ghazal of Vahshi’s Divan as Ganjoor arranges it, every couplet ending on the refrain ‘come back’ (baz a). The beloved has gone on a journey, and the lover begs for a return, even if it is to kill him. In the closing couplet the refrain is turned on the poet himself, who is called back to the beloved’s street that he left.