This Mild Intoxication

In awe of every glance of the cup-bearer, I drank
I drank playing with the waves of joy.

O all-merciful! Please forgive all my wrongs
I drank confounded by the extreme desire.

I do not dare to drink without permission
but the patronage of veiled eyes of my beloved beckoned.

O abstinent! Look at the mischievousness of my drinking
I drank by befriending the forgiveness [of God].

Purple clouds are over-cast
and the sound of music is all around.

Whose tresses are open in the rains?
The winds are perfumed.

Let us dance in the garden courtyard
the clouds brought music [with them].

After seeing her eyes O Adam!
I can feel the ambiance of tavern.

Near and far, somebody lives
somebody do lives in my heart.

From the time I have seen her eyes
I remain mildly intoxicated.

My beloved lives in my heart, like
light lives in darkness.

"Adam" is of such a disposition that at every step
he remains intoxicated and ecstatic.

This mild intoxication
is because of your eyes,
that taught me drinking.

Your love and your longing,
your intoxicating glances
made me a drunkard.

What wine, what intoxication
all this is [due to] your kindness.
You served me [wine] with your eyes such
that I have forgotten myself.

The whole world is ecstatic, the order of the world is ecstatic.
The day is ecstatic, so is dawn and so is evening.
The glass, cup and wine are all ecstatic.
Because of your intoxicating eyes, everyone and everything is ecstatic.

Of all the wines you have in your tavern
serve me a little from your eyes.

I understand your alluring glances
that cause intoxication, instead of wine.

Only your love is my life.

Neither I know prayers nor ablutions,
I prostrate whenever you come in front of me.

I am a follower of love since the beginning of life
[and] I do not care for piousness or religiousness.
My head has found your house,
now I do not search for the mosque.

My devotion is such devotion
that is not bound by the mosque and the temple.
When I see you once
by God, it is no less than a prayer....



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Excerpt taken and translated from an Urdu Qawwali,
Sung by the legendary, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

- Complete lyrics with English translation. (www.nusrat.info)

- A shorter, 20:32 min. version of the song performed by Nusrat himself - the original is over 1 hour long! (YouTube)

- And the 1:08 hour version, if you have the patience.(YouTube)

- Jeff Buckley's rendition of the song. 9:28 mins. (YouTube)


Enjoy!