This soul-reviving scent comes from the beloved’s essence,
And this water of life flows from the pool of Kausar.

O breeze from the garden, do you carry musk within?
O familiar bird, do you bear a letter in your feathers?

Is it the fragrance of paradise, the breeze of the beloved,
Or the caravan of dawn illuminating the world?

Which land sends this fragrant messenger of musk,
And in what was this letter sealed, that its title is perfumed?

Has someone placed burning oud in the path of the wind,
Or is the soil where you tread itself scented with ambergris?

Return and knock upon the door of the yearning souls,
For the companions sit with eyes fixed like nails on the door.

Return, for in separation, the hopeful eyes await,
Like the ears of the fasting, eager for the call of "Allahu Akbar."

Do you know how we pass our days?
Each day without you feels like the Day of Resurrection.

We thought to cure love with patience and restraint,
But each day love grows stronger, and patience weaker.

Your form is absent to the eyes, but your character remains vivid,
Though the sight of you is veiled, your essence is ever-present.

How much can the tale of love fit in a letter?
I must shorten it, for our story could fill volumes.

Like a desert tree, Saadi burns with the lightning of longing,
Yet his words bear fruit, ever fresh and vibrant.

Yes, companions delight in the fragrance of oud,
Unaware of the fire smoldering in the soul’s censer.