Ghazal · 13th century

How Sweet It Would Be

Fakhr al-Din Iraqiعراقی

چه خوش باشد! که دلدارم تو باشی

How sweet it would be if you were the one who holds my heart,

ندیم و مونس و یارم تو باشی

if you were my companion, my comfort and my friend.

دل پر درد را درمان تو سازی

You would be the one to cure my aching heart;

شفای جان بیمارم تو باشی

you would be the healing of my sick soul.

ز شادی در همه عالم نگنجم

I would not fit into the whole world for joy

اگر یک لحظه غمخوارم تو باشی

if for one moment you were the one who grieves for me.

ندارم مونسی در غار گیتی

I have no companion in the cave of this world;

بیا، تا مونس غارم تو باشی

come, and be my companion in the cave.

اگر چه سخت دشوار است کارم

Hard as my lot may be,

شود آسان، چو در کارم تو باشی

it would grow easy if you were in it with me.

اگر جمله جهانم خصم گردند

If the whole world turned against me,

نترسم، چون نگهدارم تو باشی

I would not be afraid, if you were my keeper.

همی نالم چو بلبل در سحرگاه

I lament like the nightingale at dawn

به بوی آنکه گلزارم تو باشی

in the hope that you might be my rose garden.

چو گویم وصف حسن ماهرویی

When I describe the beauty of some moon-faced one,

غرض زان زلف و رخسارم تو باشی

by that hair and that face, it is you I mean.

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

A note for readers

A love ghazal in plain language, almost every couplet of which ends on the refrain to bashi, ‘if it were you’. The ‘companion of the cave’ recalls the Prophet’s companion in the cave during the flight from Mecca, a common image for a true and faithful friend. The excerpt gives eight of ten couplets.