لمن طلل بين الأجارع بالي

لمن طلل بين الأجارع بالي

به خاطري أَسْرُ الغرام وبالي

به خاطري أَسْرُ الغرام وبالي

Whose weathered encampment-ruin lies amid the barren tracts?

Whose is the timeworn ruin among the sandy flats?

There my heart is captive to passion, and my mind as well.

There, my thoughts and mind are in love's thrall.

لويت عنان الشوق نحو رسومه

لويت عنان الشوق نحو رسومه

فصادفته قفر الجوانب خالي

فصادفته قفر الجوانب خالي

I turned the reins of longing toward its traces,

I turned longing's reins toward its traces,

and found it a wilderness, deserted on every side.

And found it barren on every side, deserted.

لديه الصبا تجتاز أيان ما هفت

لديه الصبا تجتاز أيان ما هفت

تبث فواغي عبهرٍ وغوالي

تبث فواغي عبهرٍ وغوالي

Beside it the east wind passes whenever it stirs,

Beside it the east wind passes whenever it stirs,

diffusing wafts of narcissus and precious perfumes.

Scattering narcissus blossoms and precious perfumes.

لقيت به قلبي على عرصاته

لقيت به قلبي على عرصاته

مقيماً يناغي فيه لمعة آل

مقيماً يناغي فيه لمعة آل

There on its open courts I found my heart,

There I found my heart upon its grounds,

abiding, whispering there to a shimmer of mirage.

Abiding there, cooing to a shimmer of mirage.

لو استعطفت ذات الستور به بدت

لو استعطفت ذات الستور به بدت

لنا بين ثوبَيْ هيبةٍ وجمال

لنا بين ثوبَيْ هيبةٍ وجمال

Had my heart sought the veiled lady’s favor there, she would have appeared

If I entreated the veiled one through it, she would appear

to us, clad in twin robes of majesty and beauty.

To us, between two robes of awe and beauty.

لياليَ كنا نحسب الدهر غافلاً

لياليَ كنا نحسب الدهر غافلاً

وأحوالنا ليست بذات زوال

وأحوالنا ليست بذات زوال

Those nights when we thought Time heedless,

On nights when we thought time heedless,

and our condition immune to passing away.

And our states not subject to passing away.

لصيق الغواني كيف يألف بالسوى

لصيق الغواني كيف يألف بالسوى

وقد بات منها في لذيذ وصال

وقد بات منها في لذيذ وصال

How could one intimate with beauties take to another,

How can one bound to beauties grow fond of anything else,

having indeed spent the night with one of them in sweet union?

When he has spent the night in sweet union with her?

لقاء جميل الوجه عنه أميط من

لقاء جميل الوجه عنه أميط من

جميعي حجاب فهو بي متلالي

جميعي حجاب فهو بي متلالي

At the meeting of the fair-faced one, there was lifted from him

A meeting with the fair-faced one—from him was lifted

a veil made of my whole being; through me he shines resplendent.

A veil of my whole self; thus he shines through me.

لحاني عليه العاذلون سفاهة

لحاني عليه العاذلون سفاهة

ولم يعلمو ما للعذول وما لي

ولم يعلمو ما للعذول وما لي

For his sake the faultfinders reproached me, foolishly,

The reproachers blamed me for him in their folly,

not knowing what business the censor and I have with one another.

And did not know what was the reproacher's and what was mine.

لجأت إلى أبوب عزته به

لجأت إلى أبوب عزته به

وأطلقت قيلي في هواه وقالي

وأطلقت قيلي في هواه وقالي

In him I sought refuge at the gates of his might,

I sought refuge through him at the gates of his might,

and gave free rein to all my words and talk in love of him.

And let my speech and talk run free in love of him.