Quatrain 12 from Rubaiyat of Saadi Shirazi
وه وه که قیامتست این قامت راست
با سرو نباشد این لطافت که تراست
شاید که تو دیگر به زیارت نروی
تا مرده نگوید که قیامت برخاست
Description:
English Translation:
Alas, this upright form is like the epitome of beauty.
No cypress tree has the grace that you possess.
Perhaps you will never come to visit again,
Until the dead say that the Day of Judgment has arrived.
Analysis:
This quatrain by Saadi Shirazi is a beautiful expression of love and longing. Let's break down each line:
Line 1: وه وه که قیامتست این قامت راست
"Alas, this upright form is like the Day of Judgment."
Here, Saadi uses a striking metaphor. The beloved's upright form is compared to the Day of Judgment, a momentous and awe-inspiring event. This suggests that seeing the beloved is as overwhelming and life-changing as experiencing the end times.
Line 2: با سرو نباشد این لطافت که تراست
"No cypress tree has the grace that you possess."
The beloved's grace and beauty are compared to a cypress tree, a symbol of elegance and beauty in Persian poetry. However, Saadi suggests that even the cypress tree cannot compare to the beloved's beauty.
Line 3: شاید که تو دیگر به زیارت نروی
"Perhaps you will never come to visit again."
The speaker expresses a deep fear that the beloved will never return. This fear of separation adds to the overall tone of longing and despair.
Line 4: تا مرده نگوید که قیامت برخاست
"Until the dead say that the Day of Judgment has arrived."
This line further emphasizes the speaker's sense of despair. They suggest that they will continue to wait for the beloved's return, even after death.
Themes explored in the quatrain:
Intense love and longing: The speaker's love for the beloved is so deep that it consumes their thoughts.
The beauty of the beloved: The beloved is depicted as a being of unparalleled beauty and grace.
Fear of separation: The speaker fears the possibility of being separated from the beloved.
The passage of time: The reference to the Day of Judgment suggests a sense of timelessness and eternity.