Saada

Long hast thou suffered, sister of my heart,
        Still thou art
        Fair to see;
Thy pains thou entertainest with thy song,
        But how long
        Will this be?

The seasons all have come and gone, my dear,
        But thy cheer
        Still abides.
I ask which of thy moan or song is best
        And thou sayst:
        “God decides.”

I feel the ebbing of the undertone
        Of thy moan
        In thy song;
How long will tears and irony compete
        For thee, Sweet,
        O, how long?

When wilt thou, Baby dear, with nimble feet,
        Run to greet
        Me at the door?
When wilt thou, Saada, walk again with me
        Near the sea,
        As before?

O sister, how I wish to see thee run,
        In the sun,
        On the sands!
The singing breakers and the smiling beach
        To thee reach
        Out their hands.

The light of day is longing for thy face
        And the grace
        Of thy form;
O how I wish to see thee, Noor-ul-Ain
        Caught again
        In the storm!