An Ode Recited By Mejnun
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From the Immortal Love Poem:
"Leyla and Mejnun"
By Muhammed Fuzuli
(1498-1556)


Who is the only lover? He who gives?
His life and dying, thus forever lives
The craven, shunning death and holding fast
To every fleeting breath so quickly past
No goal may claim
Of every lover's aim
Before his love, his very soul to cast.

Perfection comes of selflessness divine
Of immolation at the lover's shrine
Who keeps his love, must stand by all confessed
No lover, though by passion sure oppressed
No lover he.

Who dumbly still may see
With life enduring rage still unsuppressed
Who is the only lover? He who finds
In death alone the union that binds
His soul, and that he love's in perfect peace
Who thus so wisely gives, lest passion cease
And finds the grief
Of separation, be it long or brief
The one and only way of sweet release.

Observe the moth, ye lover's, understand
Their age-long custom, found in every land;
How, burning in unsatisfied desire
Self-immolation seeking at the fire
Of every flame
Let lover's do the same
And gladly burn on love's own funeral pyre.

So die in love, dying fettered, bound
To love a heady Joy is found
A death so timed brings forth the perfect ease
Of Hizir's fountains: living streams that please,
The fount of life,
The end of strife,
The perfect cure for love's distressed disease.

No charm or posset holds the sov'ran worth
Of curing love's sweet passion on the earth
Abandonment of life and love as well
Thus losing life
And leaving mortal strife
In death thy love and thee may ever dwell
Yet cease this idle talk of leaving life
And losing thus passion's dearest strife.

'Tis but Fuzuli knows the secret road
'Tis he who sets it forth in happy ode-
This quality
Of winning, loses instability
Forgets the tribute that life is owed.