Tarkib-band · 16th century

I Was the First to Buy

Vahshi Bafqiوحشی بافقی

اول آن کس که خریدار شدش، من بودم

The first one to become her buyer: it was I;

باعث گرمی بازار شدش، من بودم

the one who made her market busy: it was I.

عشق من شد سبب خوبی و رعنایی او

My love became the cause of her beauty and grace;

داد، رسوایی من، شهرت زیبایی او

my disgrace gave fame to her loveliness.

بس که دادم همه جا شرح دلآرایی او

So often did I tell everywhere of her charm

شهر پر گشت ز غوغای تماشایی او

that the city filled with the clamour of those who came to gaze.

این زمان، عاشق سرگشته، فراوان دارد

Now she has bewildered lovers in plenty;

کی سر برگ من بی‌سر و سامان دارد؟

when would she care for me, who have nothing and no home?

چاره این است و ندارم به از این رأی دگر

This is the remedy, and I have no better plan:

که دهم جای دگر، دل، به دل‌آرای دگر

to give my heart elsewhere, to another charmer,

چشم خود فرش کنم زیر کف پای دگر

to spread my eyes as a carpet under another’s feet,

بر کف پای دگر، بوسه زنم جای دگر

to kiss the soles of another’s feet, in another place.

بعد از این رای من این است و همین خواهد بود

From now on this is my resolve, and so it will be;

من بر این هستم و البته چنین خواهد بود

I am set on this, and surely so it will be.

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

A note for readers

The next lines of Vahshi’s ‘Friends, hear the tale of my distress’, continuing from the opening given elsewhere on this site. The lover says his own love and public disgrace made the beloved famous; now that she has a crowd of admirers, he resolves to give his heart to someone else. The poem is a tarkib-band: each stanza closes with a couplet on a new rhyme, here ‘it was I’, ‘she has’ and ‘so it will be’.