From Love-stupor awake, O Masrur, ’twere best; ✿ For this day I dread my love rend thy breast;
And to-morrow I fear me folks’ marvel-tale ✿ Shall make us a byword from East to West:
Leave love of my like or thou’lt gain thee blame; ✿ Why turn thee uswards? Such love’s unblest!
For one strange of lineage whose kin repel ✿ Thou shalt wake ill-famed, of friends dispossest:
I’m a Zealot’s child and affright the folk; ✿ Would my life were ended and I at rest!
Then Masrur answered her improvisation and began to say these lines:—
To grief leave a heart that to love ne’er ceased; ✿ Nor blame, for your blame ever love increased:
You misrule my vitals in tyrant-guise; ✿ Morn and Eve I wend not or West or East;
Love’s law forbids me to do me die; ✿ They say Love’s victim is ne’er released:
Well-away! Could I find in Love’s Court a judge ✿ I’d ’plain and win to my rights at least.