Shahr Khāli - شهر خالی <br /> <br />شهر خالی، جادّه خالی، کوچه خالی، خانه خالی <br />Cities empty, roads empty, <br />streets empty, homes empty <br />Goblets empty, dinner tables empty, <br />cups and measures empty <br />Our friends, our nightingales have migrated flock by flock <br />Orchards empty, gardens empty, <br />branches empty, nests empty <br /> <br />Oh, woe to the world where lovers fear one another <br />Where thirsty buds fear gardens <br />Where lovers fear the sound of union <br />Where hands of musicians fear instruments <br />Where the chevaliers fear flat roads <br />Where doctors fear the sight of patients <br /> <br />Songs were smashed and <br />the poets’ torment reached all bounds <br />Years of await passed in agony for you and I <br /> <br /> Friends turned into strangers <br />As soon as I gave my hand, <br />my life became a barren land <br />I weeped and I wailed, <br />I knocked on every door <br />I poured upon my head <br />the dust and mire of this ruined shelter bit by bit <br />Yet the world went on as usual, no one cared <br /> <br />Woe to those feet that walk onto the enemy’s path <br />Woe to those who lose their honor <br />in service of the oppressor <br />Musicians too have tuned their instruments to oppression <br />Lo! How the tyrant’s hand is hailing upon us <br /> <br />The fountains dried up, the seas turned weary <br />The heavens took our legend lightly <br />Drinks have lost potency, <br />love has no bosom to embrace thee <br />Not a single soul hears out my lament, hears me <br /> <br />Come back so that <br />the gone-away caravan would too come back <br /> <br />Come back so that <br />the tender sweethearts would come back tenderly <br /> <br />Come back so that they all would come back, <br />the minstrel, the music, the mandolin <br /> <br />Spread your forelock for <br />your gracious sweetheart is coming back <br /> <br />Come back so that we may bow before Hafiz <br />Spreading flowers and filling our cups with wine
