Updated: 9 September 2018
Every so often a song comes along that reaches the depths of your soul regardless of whether or not you understand the lyrics. Today’s song is just that. In my opinion, it’s so heart-wrenchingly beautiful that it has the power to bring me to tears. The tempo of this song is also slower compared to the Music + Lyrics post with Dang Show, so it helps a bit more with pronunciation. Let’s look at the lyrics and translation of Mah o Mahi by Hojat Ashrafzadeh.
Other than its beauty, what drew me to the song was his mention of Neyshabur, which, being my mom’s hometown, holds a special place in my heart. The song also mentions mornings of Neyshabur, and completely unlike Corinne Bailey Rae’s “Paris Nights and New York Mornings”, the old Middle Eastern saying goes:
sleeping in Baghdad and mornings in Neyshabur
…or as I like to call it: “Baghdad Nights and Neyshabur Mornings”. And of course Neyshabur is the city of turquoise (firuzeh), another reference in this song.
In the first line, the moon (mâh), symbolizes beauty and freedom, and the fish symbolizes being trapped, almost a prisoner of the pool.
to mâhi o man mâhiye in berkeye kâshi // you’re the moon and I’m the fish of this tiled pool
to mâhi o man mâhiye in berkeye kâshi
anduhe bozorgist, zamâni ke nabâshi // there is great sadness when you aren’t here
anduhe bozorgist, zamâni ke nabâshi
âh az nafase pâke tovo sobhe Neyshabur // a sigh for your pure breath and mornings of Neyshabur
az chashme tovo chashme tovo // of your eyes, your eyes
hojreye firuze tarâshi // and the chamber of turquoise shaping
pelki bezan ey makhzane asrâr ke har bâr // blink you treasure of secrets that every time
firuze vo almâs be âfâgh bepâshi // you pour turquoise and diamonds on the horizon
hargez be to dastam naresad mâhe bolandam // I can never reach you my high moon
anduhe bozorgist che bâshi che nabâshi // there is great sadness whether or not you are here
ey bâde saboksâr // oh free wind
ey bâde saboksâr // oh free wind
marâ bogzar o bogzâr // leave me and pass
marâ bogzar o bogzâr // leave me and pass
hoshdâr ke ârâmeshe mâ râ nakharâshi // beware that you don’t scratch our serenity
(Song repeats)
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