Two nights or three till dawn, my heart,
Vigil keep;
The moon wakes, when the sun doth part;
Do not sleep.

Put down thy pail into the pit
Shadowed deep;
Perchance thou shalt come forth from it;
Do not sleep.

Èy del dô seh shâm tâ sahar-ghâh makhusb,
Dar furqat-è Âftab chon Mâh makhusb.

Chon dalv dar în dhulmat-è chah rah mikan,
Bâshad ke barâ’ie be sar-è châh, makhusb.

Vocabulary

Èy = Lo! O’thou!
Del = Heart
Dô = Two
Seh = Three
Shâm = Night
Tâ sahar = Till moorning, till down,
Makhusb = Don’t go to sleep, keep vigil
Forqat = Separation, being away
Âftab = The Sun
Chon = Like
Mâh = The Moon
Dalv = Pail
Dhulmat, Zulmat = Darkness
Châh = Pit, Chah is an abridged form of Châh.
Rah mîkan = Put down, here means find your way
Bâshad = Maybe, Perchance
Barâ’ie = Come forth
Sar = Head, top

by Eliza Tashibi