Number 3

Tarjīʿ-bandIraqi style
English

Number 3

I will lay my head at the tavern of the Magi; I will bow down at the feet of the old wine master. I will step forward at the feet of the old wine master, and drink cup after cup from his hand. When I drink the wine, it makes me drunk; I dissolve into nothing, then it brings me back to being.
Explanation: The 'old wine master' (pir-e moghan) is a classic Persian symbol for a spiritual guide, and the wine stands for divine ecstasy. Being annihilated and restored reflects the Sufi idea of fana and baqa.

Original · Persian

شمارهٔ ۳

سر بخرابات مغان در نهم در قدم پیر مغان سر نهم
در قدم پیر مغان در نهم وز کف او جام پیاپی کشم
چون بخورم باده شوم مست ازو نیست شوم باز شوم هست ازو