I.
It’s the season of wine, meadows, and Rose
The court of spring is cleared of choughs and crows
Generous clouds now water Rey[1] more freely than Khotan[2]
The caged bird and I both long for our own land
How wayward are you, Heaven!
How vicious are you, Heaven!
You’re headed to vengeance, O Heaven!
You have no faith
You have no creed—no creed
O Heaven!
II.
Tulips have bloomed from the blood of the youths of our land
Lamenting those cypresses, Cypress can no longer stand
A mourning nightingale creeps under Rose’s shadow
And Rose, like me, has torn her robe in sorrow
How wayward are you, Heaven!
How vicious are you, Heaven!
You’re headed to vengeance, O Heaven!
You have no faith
You have no creed—no creed
O Heaven!
III.
Asleep are the vakeels, corrupt are the viziers
They have plundered the silver and gold of Iran
Lest they leave our home a ruin
God, judge the emirs, dry the paupers’ tears
How wayward are you, Heaven!
How vicious are you, Heaven!
You’re headed to vengeance, O Heaven!
You have no faith
You have no creed—no creed
O Heaven!
IV.
Capsize the earth with tears
If you have a fistful of Iran’s soil, pour it over your head
Manifest your honour, beware of dark days
Let your bosom be a shield before enemy spears
How wayward are you, Heaven!
How vicious are you, Heaven!
You’re headed to vengeance, O Heaven!
You have no faith
You have no creed—no creed
O Heaven!
V.
At the foe’s hands I howl in pain
Whoever fears death is by fear slain
The lovers’ dance of death is not a game of chess
If you have courage, prepare for campaign
How wayward are you, Heaven!
How vicious are you, Heaven!
You’re headed to vengeance, O Heaven!
You have no faith
You have no creed—no creed
O Heaven!
VI.
‘Aref[3] relies not on days since the dawn of days
Like Khayyam, he holds no hand but the wine cup’s
Gives his heart only to the beloved’s curls
Trades not a hundred lifetimes of shame for one with a name
How wayward are you, Heaven!
How vicious are you, Heaven!
You’re headed to vengeance, O Heaven!
You have no faith
You have no creed—no creed
O Heaven!
[1] A city in northern central Iran, to the south of modern Tehran
[2] Northeastern central Asia
[3] Literally: learned, wise, sagacious, mystic