Ghazal · 16th century

I Am That Bird

Vahshi Bafqiوحشی بافقی

من آن مرغم که افکندم به دام صد بلا خود را

I am that bird who threw himself into the snare of a hundred troubles;

به یک پرواز بی هنگام کردم مبتلا خود را

with one untimely flight I brought myself to grief.

نه دستی داشتم بر سر، نه پایی داشتم در گل

I had no hand upon my head, no foot stuck in the mud;

به دست خویش کردم اینچنین بی دست و پا خود را

with my own hand I left myself without hand or foot.

چنان از طرح وضع ناپسند خود گریزانم

I so flee from the pattern of my own unworthy ways

که گر دستم دهد از خویش هم سازم جدا خود را

that if I could, I would part myself from myself.

گر این وضع است می‌ترسم که با چندین وفاداری

If this is how things are, I fear that, for all my faithfulness,

شود لازم که پیشت وانمایم بیوفا خود را

I will have to make myself look faithless before you.

چو از اظهار عشقم خویش را بیگانه می‌داری

Since you hold yourself a stranger when I declare my love,

نمی‌بایست کرد اول به این حرف آشنا خود را

you should not at first have made yourself familiar with such talk.

ببین وحشی که در خوناب حسرت ماند پا در گل

See, Vahshi: stuck fast in the bloody waters of regret

کسی کو بگذراندی تشنه از آب بقا خود را

is one who once would pass the water of life by, still thirsty.

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

A note for readers

A complete ghazal in which the lover blames no one but himself: like a bird that took off at the wrong moment and flew into a net, he walked into love of his own accord. In the plain manner Vahshi is known for, it turns on everyday idioms: a ‘hand on the head’ is a sign of trouble, a ‘foot in the mud’ means being stuck, and to be ‘without hand or foot’ is to be helpless.