Were the Sultan hight Love but fair to me, ✿ Slumber mine eyes’ companion were to me,
My Lords, some little mercy spare to me, ✿ Chief of my tribe: be debonnair to me,
Whom Love cast down, erst rich now pauper-wight!
Censors may blame thee but I look beyond ✿ Mine ears I stop and leave their lies unconned
And keep my pact wi’ those I love so fond: ✿ They say, “Thou lov’st a runaway!” I respond,
“Whist! whenas Fate descends she blinds the sight!”
Then he returned to his lodging and sat there weeping, till sleep overcame him, when he saw in a dream as if Zayn al-Mawasif were come to the house, and awoke in tears. So he set off to go thither, improvising these couplets:—
Shall I be consoled when Love hath mastered the secret of me ✿ And my heart is aglow with more than the charcoal’s ardency?
I love her whose absence I plain before Allah for parting-stower ✿ And the shifts of the days and doom which allotted me Destiny:
When shall our meeting be, O wish o’ my heart and will? ✿ O favour of fullest Moon, when shall we Re-union see?