3.1.5. Declaration of Love’s special Excellence 1121 The dew on her white teeth, whose voice is soft and low, Is as when milk and honey mingled flow. The water which oozes from the white teeth of this soft speeched damsel is like a mixture of milk and honey. 136
1122 Between this maid and me the friendship kind Is as the bonds that soul and body bind. The love between me and this damsel is like the union of body and soul.
1123 For her with beauteous brow, the maid I love, there place is none; To give her image room, O pupil of mine eye, begone! O you image in the pupil (of my eye)! depart; there is no room for (my) fair-browed beloved.
1124 Life is she to my very soul when she draws nigh; Dissevered from the maid with jewels rare, I die! My fair-jewelled one resembles the living soul (when she is in union with me), the dying soul when she leaves me.
1125 I might recall, if I could once forget; but from my heart Her charms fade not, whose eyes gleam like the warrior’s dart. If I had forgotten her who has bright battling eyes, I would have remembered (thee); but I never forget her. (Thus says he to her maid).
1126 My loved one’s subtle form departs not from my eyes; I wink them not, lest I should pain him where he lies. My lover would not depart from mine eyes; even if I wink, he would not suffer (from pain); he is so ethereal.
1127 My love doth ever in my eyes reside; I stain them not, fearing his form to hide. As my lover abides in my eyes, I will not even paint them, for he would (then) have to conceal himself.
1128 Within my heart my lover dwells; from food I turn That smacks of heat, lest he should feel it burn. As my lover is in my heart, I am afraid of eating (anything) hot, for I know it would pain him.
1129 I fear his form to hide, nor close my eyes: ‘Her love estranged is gone!’ the village cries. I will not wink, knowing that if I did, my lover would hide himself; and for this reason, this town says, he is unloving.
1130 Rejoicing in my very soul he ever lies; ‘Her love estranged is gone far off!’ the village cries. My lover dwells in my heart with perpetual delight; but the town says he is unloving and (therefore) dwells afar. 137
3.1.6. The Abandonment of Reserve
1131 To those who ‘ve proved love’s joy, and now afflicted mourn, Except the helpful ‘horse of palm’, no other strength remains. To those who after enjoyment of sexual pleasure suffer (for want of more), there is no help so efficient as the palmyra horse.
1132 My body and my soul, that can no more endure, Will lay reserve aside, and mount the ‘horse of palm’. Having got rid of shame, the suffering body and soul save themselves on the palmyra horse.
1133 I once retained reserve and seemly manliness; To-day I nought possess but lovers’ ‘horse of palm’. Modesty and manliness were once my own; now, my own is the palmyra horse that is ridden by the lustful.
1134 Love’s rushing tide will sweep away the raft Of seemly manliness and shame combined. The raft of modesty and manliness, is, alas, carried-off by the strong current of lust.
1135 The maid that slender armlets wears, like flowers entwined, Has brought me ‘horse of palm,’ and pangs of eventide! She with the small garland-like bracelets has given me the palmyra horse and the sorrow that is endured at night.
1136 Of climbing ‘horse of palm’ in midnight hour, I think; My eyes know no repose for that same simple maid. Mine eyes will not close in sleep on your mistress’s account; even at midnight will I think of mounting the palmyra horse.
1137 There’s nought of greater worth than woman’s long-enduring soul, Who, vexed by love like ocean waves, climbs not the ‘horse of palm’. There is nothing so noble as the womanly nature that would not ride the palmyra horse, though plunged a sea of lust.
1138 In virtue hard to move, yet very tender, too, are we; Love deems not so, would rend the veil, and court publicity! Even the Lust (of women) transgresses its secrecy and appears in public, forgetting that they are too chaste and liberal (to be overcome by it).
1139 138 ‘There’s no one knows my heart,’ so says my love, And thus, in public ways, perturbed will rove. My lust, feeling that it is not known by all, reels confused in the streets (of this town).
1140 Before my eyes the foolish make a mock of me, Because they ne’er endured the pangs I now must drie. Even strangers laugh (at us) so as to be seen by us, for they have not suffered.
3.1.7. The Announcement of the Rumour
1141 By this same rumour’s rise, my precious life stands fast; Good fortune grant the many know this not! My precious life is saved by the raise of rumour, and this, to my good luck no others are aware of.
1142 The village hath to us this rumour giv’n, that makes her mine; Unweeting all the rareness of the maid with flower-like eyne. Not knowing the value of her whose eyes are like flowers this town has got up a rumour about me.
1143 The rumour spread within the town, is it not gain to me? It is as though that were obtained that may not be. Will I not get a rumour that is known to the (whole) town ? For what I have not got is as if I had got it (already).
1144 The rumour rising makes my love to rise; My love would lose its power and languish otherwise. Rumour increases the violence of my passion; without it it would grow weak and waste away.
1145 The more man drinks, the more he ever drunk would be; The more my love’s revealed, the sweeter ’tis to me! As drinking liquor is delightful (to one) whenever one is in mirth, so is lust delightful to me whenever it is the subject of rumour.
1146 I saw him but one single day: rumour spreads soon As darkness, when the dragon seizes on the moon. It was but a single day that I looked on (my lover); but the rumour thereof has spread like the seizure of the moon by the serpent.
1147 My anguish grows apace: the town’s report Manures it; my mother’s word doth water it. This malady (of lust) is manured by the talk of women and watered by the (harsh) words of my mother. 139
1148 With butter-oil extinguish fire! ‘Twill prove Harder by scandal to extinguish love. To say that one could extinguish passion by rumour is like extinguishing fire with ghee.
1149 When he who said ‘Fear not!’ hath left me blamed, While many shrink, can I from rumour hide ashamed? When the departure of him who said “fear not” has put me to shame before others, why need I be ashamed of scandal.
1150 If we desire, who loves will grant what we require; This town sends forth the rumour we desire! The rumour I desire is raised by the town (itself); and my lover would if desired consent (to my following him).