1. The wages of my house go to you, though you are heedless
I have given you sorrow, though joy is for me
١. أَجيرَةَ بَيتي ما لَكُم بِكُمُ السَهوُ
أَمَرَّ لَكُم شَجوٌ وَطابَ لي الشَجوُ
2. I have deceived you, and love has kept my heart for itself
Bitterness is for you, but sweetness in my liver
٢. خَدَعتُكُمُ وَاِستَأثَرَ القَلبُ بِالهَوى
لَكُم مُرُّهُ البادي وَفي كَبِدي الحُلوُ
3. The liver of the lover refused to tire of passion
And though satiety was exhausted, the body did not tire of freshness
٣. أَبَت كَبِدُ المُشتاقِ أَن تَسأَمَ الجَوى
وَلضو سَئِمَت لَم يَسأَمِ الجَسَدُ النَضوُ
4. Indeed your passions have been sick, so you slipped
Had passions been well, steps would have continued
٤. لَقَد سَقَمَت أَهواؤُكُم فَزَلَّلتُم
وَلَو صَحَّت الأَهواءُ لَاِتَّصَلَ الخَطوُ
5. And I have a lord whom people don't know his reality
Nearby, though his aloofness is remote
٥. وَلي سَيِّدٌ لَم يَعلَم الناسُ كُنهَهُ
قَريبٌ فَإِن هاجَرتُهُ بَعدُ الشَأوُ
6. Generous, so if the evildoer escapes through his sin
His generosity and pardon bring him closer
٦. جَوادٌ إِذا فَرَّ المُسيءُ بِذَنبِهِ
إِلَيهِ فَأَدنى جودَهُ الصَفحُ وَالعَفوُ
7. Some were busy serving his glory
So they became glorious, and that valiance raised their glory
٧. تَشاغَلَ أَقوامٌ بِخِدمَةِ عِزِّهِ
فَعُزّوا وَأَعلى عِزَّهُم ذَلِكَ الفَتوُ
8. I returned people's love with my love of him
Was I seeking water while the bucket was in my hand?
٨. رَدَدتُ بِحُبّيهِ عَلى الناسِ حُبِّهُم
وَهل كُنتُ أَستَسقي وَفي يَدِيَ الدَلوُ
9. I was not delighted to own all the earth
With my heart empty of love for him
٩. وَما سَرني أَن أَملِكَ الأَرضَ كُلَّها
وَأَنَّ فُؤادي مِن مَحَبَّتِهِ خِلوُ
10. If my heart were in my hands without passion
I would be mad, for what is my opinion of it while it is raving?
١٠. وَلَو أَنَّ قَلبي في يَدَيَّ بِلا هَوى
لَجُنَّ فَما ظَنّي بِهِ وَهوَ الحَشوُ
11. When longing stirred in me, I headed towards it
Though the one I loved has no counterpart
١١. إِذا هاجَ لي شَوقٌ تَيَمَّمتُ نَحوَهُ
عَلىأَنَّ مَن أَحبَبتُ لَيسَ لَهُ نَحوُ
12. He has neither where, nor presence
Neither likeness, nor match
١٢. وَلَيسَ لَهُ أَينَ وَلَيسَ لَهُ لَدنُ
وَلَيسَ لَهُ مِثلٌ وَلَيسَ لَهُ صِنوُ
13. I imagined him in my mind, so he eluded me
And my heart was lost and confused in knowing him
١٣. أَمَثَّلُهُ في خاطِري فَيَفوتُني
وَبِالقَلبِ مِن عَرفانِهِ التيهُ وَالزَهوُ
14. He flew until he landed at the horizon of guidance
His darkness present, and his ribs Bedouin
١٤. وَقَد طارَ حَتّى قَرَّ في مَطلَعِ الهُدى
فَسَوداءَهُ حَضرٌ وَأَضلاعُهُ بَدوُ
15. I seek him in every thought of my mind
No playfulness in union, nor jest
١٥. أُواصِلُهُ في كُلِّ خَطرَةِ خاطِرِ
وَلا لَعِبٌ عِندَ الوِصالِ وَلا لَهوُ
16. Standing at the bottom of the carpet, bowing down
And if not for my outstretching, my stance would be lofty
١٦. وُقوفاً عَلى سَفلِ البِساطِ تَجَلَّةٌ
وَلَولا اِنبِساطي كانَ مَوقِفِيَ العُلوُ
17. Oh my sorrow if my quest misses you
And if it misses, my love would not be heedless
١٧. فَوا حَسرَتي إِن خابَ مَسعايَ عَنكُمُ
وَلَو خابَ أَيضاً ما اِعتَرى حُبِّيَ السَهوُ
18. Not so, then whoever has passion, let him rave
Else, most people's love is jest
١٨. وَلا كَهَذا فَليَهوَ مَن كانَ ذا هَوى
وَإِلّا فَحُبُّ الناسِ أَكثَرهُ لَهوُ
19. I was made to drink passion while sober, so I was sleep talking
But my sobriety was less than ease
١٩. سُقيتُ الهَوى صِرفاً فَعَربَدتُ صاحِياً
وَلَكِنَّ صَحوي دونَ أَيسَرِهِ النَشوُ
20. Your affection, love is a cup I have drunk
Quenching thirst, though the pure made me turbid
٢٠. حَنانيكَ إِنَّ الحُبَّ كَأسٌ شَرِبتُها
عَلى ظَمَأٍ صَفواً فَكَدَّرَني الصَفوُ
21. Apart from you, O the drink, so enjoy yourselves
My tears are wine for you, and my poetry is chanting for you
٢١. فَدونَكُمُ يا أَيُّها الشَربُ فَاِنعَموا
دُموعي لَكُم خَمرٌ وَنمَوحي لَكُم شَدوُ