I shall here give a translation of one of these muweshshahs, which are very numerous, as a specimen of their style, from a book containing a number of these poems, which I have purchased during the present Moolid, from a darweesh who presides at many zikrs. He pointed out the following poem as one of those most common at zikrs, and as one which was sung at the zikr which I have begun to describe. I translate it verse for verse, and imitate the measure and system of rhyme of the original, with this difference only, that the first, third, and fifth lines of each stanza rhyme with each other in the original, but not in my translation.
“With love my heart is troubled;
And mine eye-lid hind’reth sleep:
My vitals are dissever’d;
While with streaming tears I weep.
My union seems far distant:
Will my love e’er meet mine eye?
Alas! Did not estrangement
Draw my tears, I would not sigh.
“By dreary nights I’m wasted: