Having stayed for a while, ships put out to sea; Afterward they return even through heavy storms. My beloved, don’t thou cry, nothing will happen to me - In about six months, I’ll as ever return. But won’t ever return those gotten my full trust - They were thy, O Sea, true and honorable sailors. At some times, I get dreams of what was in the past, And I’m sailing again with my very old fellows. Yet I want to believe there will come such a time, When the burning of ships isn’t life’s necessary patt’rn. I’ll for certain return, there’s no reason for thy cry, It’s much better to smile at thy single-hearted capt’n.
© Akbar Muhammad. Translation, 2004
(akbarmuhammad.awardspace.co.uk)