Love

In the valley-curve between the two stony tracts is the…

by Ibn al-Arabi 1165–1240

Translated by Reynold A. Nicholson (1911) · From The Tarjuman al-Ashwaq (Nicholson, 1911)

Love

In the valley-curve between the two stony tracts is the trysting-place. Make our camels kneel, for here is the journey's end.
Do not seek (any other spot) and do not call after this, 'O Báriq! O Ḥájir! O Thahmad!'
And play as friendly full-breasted damsels played, and pasture as shy gazelles pastured
In a meadow whose flies sang and hummed and a warbling bird there answered them joyously.
Soft were its sides and soft its breeze, and the clouds were flashing and thundering,
And the raindrops were descending from the crevices of the clouds like tears shed by a passionate lover because he is parted from her he loves.
And drink the pure essence of its wine with its intoxication, and listen rapturously to a singer who chanteth there:
'O the pure wine that in Adam's time related concerning the Garden of Eden an authentic tradition!
Verily, the fair women scattered it from the water of their mouths like musk and the virgins bestowed it on us without stint.'

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Tarjuman al-Ashwaq, poem 26

MLA

al-Arabi, Ibn. “In the valley-curve between the two stony tracts is the….” Translated by Reynold A. Nicholson. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/ibn-arabi/25/.

Chicago

al-Arabi, Ibn. “In the valley-curve between the two stony tracts is the….” Translated by Reynold A. Nicholson. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/ibn-arabi/25/.

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