Prevod

It is related that one night the Commander of the Faithful, al-Rashid, was overcome by great restlessness. He rose and wandered through his palace, where he came upon a slave girl swaying with drunkenness. He was deeply enamored of her and loved her dearly, so he dallied with her and drew her close, until her mantle fell and her waistcloth came undone. He asked her to yield to him, but she said, “Give me until tomorrow night, Commander of the Faithful. I am not prepared for you, for I did not know you were coming.” He left her and went on his way. When day broke and the sun shed its light, he sent a page to tell her that the Commander of the Faithful was coming to her chamber. She sent back word: “The words of night are wiped away by day.” Al-Rashid said to his boon companions, “Recite me some verses containing the words, ‘The words of night are wiped away by day.’” “We hear and obey,” they answered. Then al-Raqashi stepped forward and recited these verses:

By God, if you but felt the longing I feel, all peace would turn its back on you and flee. A maiden has left you lovesick and distraught, one who neither visits nor receives. She makes a promise, then turns away and says, “The words of night are wiped away by day.” After him, Abu Mus‘ab stepped forward and recited these verses:

When will you come to your senses, your heart so wild with longing, when you have had no sleep and peace is denied you? Is it not enough that your eyes are full of tears, while pain and fire consume you from within? He smiled and laughed as he declared, in wonder, “The words of night are wiped away by day.” Then Abu Nuwas stepped forward and recited these verses:

Love lingered on, but visits ceased; we proclaimed our passion, yet proclamation did no good. One night she came reeling through the palace, drunk, yet a stately grace adorned her drunkenness. Her mantle slipped from her shoulders at our tugging, and her waistcloth came undone. The breeze set swaying her heavy hips, and a slender bough bearing little pomegranates. I said, “Give your lover a promise you will keep.” She answered, “Tomorrow our meeting shall be sweet.” I came and asked, “Where is your promise?” She replied, “The words of night are wiped away by day.” The caliph ordered a purse of money to be given to each poet except Abu Nuwas, whose head he ordered struck off. “Were you there with us in the palace last night?” he demanded. Abu Nuwas replied, “By God, I slept nowhere but in my own house! I merely inferred the substance of my verses from your words. And God Most High, the most truthful of speakers, has said: ‘As for the poets, the wayward follow them. Have you not seen how they wander in every valley, and how they say what they do not do?’” So the caliph pardoned him and ordered that he be given two purses of money. Then they all took their leave.