O flowering lilac, whose was the skilful hand that drew you?
O Radiant-Featured, was it a loving slave that drew you?

Chancing to penetrate into your palace, garden,
O poppy-cheeked, was it a skilful gardener drew you?

In this flowerbed world there were all too many plain faces;
Was that the reason why the almighty keeper drew you?

The flowers take their colours and fragrance from you,
As a flower the hand of the world's creator drew you.

What a wealth of gentleness shows in your beauty!
With her gift of fancy bestowed by God, perhaps it was Natavan that drew you?

Translated by Dorian Rottenberg

previous | next