Literature

بی تو مهتاب شبی باز از آن کوچه گذشتم

كوچه

ALLEY

بي تو مهتاب شبي باز از آن كوچه گذشتم

Without you I passed that alley once in a moonlight night

همه تن چشم شدم خيره به دنبال تو گشتم

I was all eyes and looked for you in a daze

شوق ديدار تو لب ريز شد از جام وجودم

Desire for your visit overflowed the chalice of my being
شدم آن عاشق ديوانه كه بودم

I became the same intense lover as I was

در نهانخانه ي جانم گل باغ تو درخشيد

In closet of my soul, flower of your memory shone

باغ صد خاطره خنديد

Garden of hundred reminiscences laughed

عطرصد خاطره پيچيد

Fragrance of a hundred reminiscences was wafted

يادم آمد كه شبي با هم از آن كوچه گذشتيم

I remembered that we had passed that alley together some night

پر گشوديم و در آن خلوت دل خواسته گشتيم

We winged and flitted about in that pleasant privacy.

ساعتي بر لب آن جوي نشستيم

We sat on the edge of that brook for a time.

تو همه راز جهان ريخته در چشم سياهت

You; with all mysteries of the world poured in your black eye.

من همه محو تماشاي نگاهت

I; utterly mused upon watching your look.

آسمان صاف و شب آرام

The sky, clear and the night quiet.

بخت خندان و زمان رام

Fortune, smiling and time tame.

خوشة ماه فرو ريخته در آب

The cluster of moon, fallen down into the water.
شاخه ها دست براورده به مهتاب

Branches, with the hands lifted to the moonlight.

شب و صحرا و گل و سنگ

Night.field,flower and stone

همه دل داده به آواز شباهنگ

All were fascinated by the nightingale’s song.

يادم آمد تو به من گفتي : از اين عشق حذر كن

I remembered: you had told me

Shun this love

لحظه اي چند بر اين آب نظر كن

Have a look at this water for some moments.
آب آينة عشق گذران است

What mirrors the transient love?

تو كه امروز نگاهت به نگاهي نگران است

Although your look is anxious about a look today,
باش فردا كه دلت با دگران است

Be! Tomorrow your heart will be captured by others.

تا فراموش كني چندي از اين شهر سفر كن

To forget love, travel from here for a time!

با تو گفتم : حذر از عشق ندانم

I told you: shunning love?

سفر از پيش تو هرگز

نتوانم ، نتوانم

I cannot. Traveling from beside you?

Never!

روز اول كه دل من به تمناي تو پر زد

The first day when my heart winged in desire fore you,

چون كبوتر لب بام تو نشستم

I alighted on the edge of your roof like a dove.
تو به من سنگ زدي من نگسستم ، نرميدم

You pelt me with stone but ] didn't turn away from you  ,] didn't break up.

باز گفتم : كه تو صيادي و من آهوي دشتم

I consoled myself with the thought that you were hunter

And I was a musk-deer of the plain.

تا بدام تو درفتم همه جا گشتم و گشتم

In order to be trapped by you, I searched and searched every where.
حذر از عشق ندانم ، نتوانم

I don’t know how to shun love.

سفر از پيش تو هرگز

نتوانم ، نتوانم

I can’t travel from beside you, i can’t.

اشكي از شاخه فرو ريخت

A tear-drop dropped down from the bough.

مرغ شب نالة تلخي زد و بگريخت

The bird of night gave a groan and got away.
اشك در چشم تو لرزيد

The tear trembled in your eye.

ماه بر عشق تو خنديد

The moon laughed at your love.
يادم آيد كه دگر از تو جوابي نشنيدم

I remember that I no longer heard your response.

پاي در دامن اندوه كشيدم

And squatted down sadly.

نگسستم ، نرميدم

I didn't break up and didn't turn away from you.

رفت در ظلمت غم آن شب و شبهاي دگر هم

That night and also others merged into the darkness of grief.

نگرفتي دگر از عاشق آزرده خبر هم

You didn't even ask for your annoyed lover anymore.
نكني ديگر از آن كوچه گذر هم

You don't even pass that alley anymore.

بي تو امّا به چه حالي من از آن كوچه گذشتم

But without you, in what a state I passed that alley !

فریدون مشیری