We have seen both the autumn and the spring of the world's garden.
Bâğ-ı dehrin hem hazânın hem bahârın görmüşüz
Nabi, Dîvân, ghazal (17th-18th century).
It is said Nabi wrote this ghazal
in the days when his wealth was taken from him.
He does not complain.
We have seen, he says, that is all.
Whoever sees spring
thinks spring will last.
Seeing autumn,
he thinks it will never come again.
Whoever has seen both
looks at the garden differently.
So it is with love.
No one who has not seen the seasons
can say he knows the garden.