Narsinh Mehta

Adi Kavi] (1414? – 1481? / Talaja, Bhavnagar, Gujarat / India

Fair One, In The Middle Of The Night

Fair one, in the middle of the night,
How your jingling anklets chime!
You have woken up the whole town
With melodious jingling of your anklets!
Fair one, in the middle of the night,
How your jingling anklets chime!

'I came back after vainly groping in the bed,
For I found my beloved asleep with a girl next door!
One after other girl my beloved enjoys!
Surely, this is not what we expect
From some one very much our own!
Fair one, in the middle of the night,
How your jingling anklets chime!

'At the most we can cover a well
But how on earth do you cover an ocean?
If he were merely a man of our fancy
We'd have shown him the door
But how do you decline the man you have married!'
Fair one, in the middle of the night,
How your jingling anklets chime!

'In my garden the mango tree has blossomed
And mangoes ripe are dripping with nectar!
Wake up and relish them, my slender Lord,
I'll pluck them for you and you enjoy!'
Fair one, in the middle of the night, how your jingling anklets chime!

'In my garden are juicy grapes,
sumptuous citrus fruits, and betel vines,
O Narsaiyya's Lord come to my place
For my heart is tender and mad!'
Fair one, in the middle of the night,
How your jingling anklets chime!
113 Total read