The Love Metaphor Poems and Translation

The Love Metaphor

(Rudaki and Shakespeare)
روایت رودکی و شکسپیر

 

Farsi Poem (Roudaki)

آمد بر من، که؟ یار، کی؟ وقت سحر

ترسنده ز که؟ ز خصم، خصمش که؟ پدر

To me, (s)he came. Who? The beloved. When? At the dawn.
Who is (s)he afraid of? Of the villain. Who is the villain? The father.

دادمش دو بوسه، بر کجا؟ بر لب تر

لب بد؟ نه، چه بد؟ عقیق، چون بد؟ چو شکر

I gave her/him two kisses. Where? On his/her wet lips.

Was it the lip? No. What was it? It was agate. How was it? It was like sugar.

 

Farsi Poem (Roudaki)

ای روی تو چو روز دلیل موحدان

وی موی تو چنان چو شب ملحد از لحد

O, your face is like a day of purpose to the believers
And your hair is dark as the first night’s grave for the atheist

ای من مقدم از همه عشاق، چون تویی

مر حسن را مقدم، چون از کلام قد

I am ahead of all the suiters, for it’s you
Your beauty is indescribable in words

مکی به کعبه فخر کند، مصریان به نیل

ترسا به اسقف و علوی بافتخار جد

The Meccans ought to be proud of the Kaaba and the Egyptians of the Nyle.
And the Christians take pride in the bishop, while Alawis in their ancestors.

فخر رهی بدان دو سیه چشمکان توست

کآمد پدید زیر نقاب از بر دو خد

Surely I am honored to see those black eyes
Through the veil cast over your beautiful visage

 

 

Sonnet CXIII ( William Shakespear)

Since I left you, mine eye is in my mind;

And that which governs me to go about

Doth part his function and is partly blind,

Seems seeing, but effectually is out;

For it no form delivers to the heart

Of bird of flower, or shape, which it doth latch:

Of his quick objects hath the mind no part,

Nor his own vision holds what it doth catch:

For if it see the rudest or gentlest sight,

The most sweet favour or deformed’st creature,

The mountain or the sea, the day or night,

The crow or dove, it shapes them to your feature:

Incapable of more, replete with you,

My most true mind thus makes mine eye untrue.