Every heart tonight
That seeketh as the moon’s pale light
Like to Venus fair
Attendeth pleasure everywhere.

Anguished with desire
To press her lips, I nigh expire:
Silence! God doth know
What passeth on this night below.

Èmshab har del ke hamchô mah dar talab ást,
Mânandeh-ye Zûhreh ôu harif-e tarab ást.

Áz ârezôye lab-ásh marâ jân be lab ást,
Îzad dânad khamôsh, k-in shab cheh shab ást.

Vocabulary

Èmshab = Tonight
Har = Each, every
Del = Heart
Ke = Which, that
Hamchô = Like, liken
Mah = The Moon
Dar Talab = Searching for, to seek
Ást = Is
Mânandeh = Similar, like
Zûhreh = Venus
Ôu = He, Ôu’ie here means “his”
Harif = Rival, here is seeker, searcher
Tarab = Joy, mirth
Áz = From
Ârezôy = Desire
Lab-ásh = Her lips
Marâ = To me
Jân be lab = This is an expression for being anguish
Îzad = God
Dânad = Knows
Khamôsh = Silence
K-in = Which this …, originally it was “Ke In”
Shab = Night
Cheh = What, how

by Eliza Tashibi