Amir Khusrau’s lofty couplet
Abr mi barad-o man shovm-e az yar-e judaa
Choon kunam dil becheneen roz zedildar judaa.
Abr baraan wa man-o yar satadah ba-widaa
Man judaa girya kunaan, abr judaa, yaar judaa
The cloud weeps, and I become separated from my friend –
How can I separate my heart from my heart’s friend on such a day.
The cloud weeping, and I and the friend standing, bidding farewell –
I weeping separately, the clouds separately, the friend separately..
(trans. A. Schimmel)
