Muntakhab al-tawarikh 239.2

239.2

Desire fails in its hope of reaching her navel, Remaining for ever in the pit of despair. Desire ever hovers round about her, Like the thirsty quarry round about the well. Above her nose is the palm tree of our desire Her arched eyebrows stained with dye. There grow, in spite of nature's rule, Two lily petals from a wild rose sprig. In the eye of that light of my eyes There appears, as it were, a drop of dew on a rose. Quemadmodum pudendum virginis illius intemeratae, Lumbriculos eructantes duae. In grace she excels the lily bud, Tongue placed in palate and lip on lip. He has written in reply to the Tahmīna of Imād-u-zamān in which the following couplets occur:— "From regret for thy moist ruby lip And from separation from thy curled locks His (the lover's) weak body has dwindled to a hair. In his body there remains no place for his soul. From vexation and grief his heart is melted to blood, He drinks his own blood and draws no breath." In a description of the morning he has written:— "The ashes of the morning have gone on the breeze, Fire has caught the cotton of the morning." Couplets. "When my head droops on my knees in separation from that faithless one My body is reduced to a heap of ashes by my burning heart.” “When her cruel sword is raised like a banner to slay me. I make my complaint of her cruelty, my excuse for falling at her feet ; For her sake I cheerfully endured the cruelty of the world, not knowing How little trust could be placed in her tenderness and faith.”