ضَنىً كانَ أَبداهُ الهَوى فَأَعادَهُ

ضَنىً كانَ أَبداهُ الهَوى فَأَعادَهُ

سَوادٌ بَدا في حمرَةٍ وَبَياضِ

سَوادٌ بَدا في حمرَةٍ وَبَياضِ

A wasting sickness love had once revealed was renewed

Longing once captivated me, so it took me prisoner again

A wasting sickness love first revealed, then renewed—by a darkness appearing amidst the red and the white.

by blackness appearing amid red and white.

A blackness appeared amid redness and whiteness

Laughing blossoms and narcissus eyes, signaling to me with languid glances.

ضَواحِكُ أَزهارٍ وَأَعيُنُ نَرجِسٍ

ضَواحِكُ أَزهارٍ وَأَعيُنُ نَرجِسٍ

أَشارَت بِأَلحاظٍ إِلَيَّ مِراضِ

أَشارَت بِأَلحاظٍ إِلَيَّ مِراضِ

The smiles of blossoms and the eyes of narcissi

Laughing flowers and narcissus eyes

The morning rose of his cheeks turns to violet when a lover harvests it with a biting kiss.

beckoned to me with languid glances.

Beckoned to me with glances, to my sickness

Sheathe the sword and slay my soul with languid eyes, or if you choose, with eyes devoid of languor.

ضحى وَرد خَدَّيهِ يَعودُ بَنَفسجا

ضحى وَرد خَدَّيهِ يَعودُ بَنَفسجا

إِذا ما اِجتَناهُ عاشِقٌ بِعضاضِ

إِذا ما اِجتَناهُ عاشِقٌ بِعضاضِ

At midmorning, the rose of his cheeks turns into a violet

The cheek of dawn returns violet

You struck with them into every heart you captured; how many lie slain, though they were lions of the thicket.

when a lover plucks it by biting.

When a lover inhales its fragrance ardently

My heart's error—which I hold as guidance—is the wandering of my gaze, for the beautiful are my gardens.

ضَعِ السَيفَ وَاِقتُل مُهجَتي بِمَحاجِرٍ

ضَعِ السَيفَ وَاِقتُل مُهجَتي بِمَحاجِرٍ

مراضٍ وَإِن تَختَر فَغَير مِراضِ

مراضٍ وَإِن تَختَر فَغَير مِراضِ

Lay down the sword, and slay my soul with eyes

Lay down your sword, and kill my passion with rocks

I pledged I would never seek solace from passion, and made him the judge, so let him decree what he wills.

languid—or, if you choose, not languid.

Whether a sickness or something else, no longer a sickness

I was miserly with my forgetting yet generous with my lifeblood; are you pleased with the deed of this thrall to love?

ضَرَبتَ بِها في كُلِّ قَلبٍ أَسَرتَهُ

ضَرَبتَ بِها في كُلِّ قَلبٍ أَسَرتَهُ

فَكَم مِن قَتيلٍ وَهوَ لَيثُ غِياضِ

فَكَم مِن قَتيلٍ وَهوَ لَيثُ غِياضِ

With them you struck every heart you captured;

You have struck with it every heart you have captivated

My ribs curve over a fire of burning passion, yet I remain steadfast in strength, feigning unconcern.

and how many a man lies slain, though a lion of the thickets!

So how many are slain who were lions of the thicket

The grudges of this age weigh against the noble youth, with calamities both approaching and already passed.

ضَلالَةُ قَلبي وَهوَ عِندي هِدايَةٌ

ضَلالَةُ قَلبي وَهوَ عِندي هِدايَةٌ

تَنَزّهُ طَرفي وَالمِلاحُ رِياضي

تَنَزّهُ طَرفي وَالمِلاحُ رِياضي

My heart's straying—yet to me it is guidance—

The misguidance of my heart, though it is guidance to me

is my gaze's wandering, and beauties are my gardens.

My eyes abstain, yet flirtation is my meadow

ضَمِنتُ بِأَنّي لَستُ أَسلو عَنِ الهَوى

ضَمِنتُ بِأَنّي لَستُ أَسلو عَنِ الهَوى

وَحَكَّمتُهُ فَليَقضِ ما هُوَ قاضِ

وَحَكَّمتُهُ فَليَقضِ ما هُوَ قاضِ

I pledged that I would not grow indifferent to love,

I have vowed I will not question love

and made it judge; let it decree whatever it will.

And I have appointed it to decide what it desires

ضننتُ بِسُلواني وَجُدتُ بِمُهجَتي

ضننتُ بِسُلواني وَجُدتُ بِمُهجَتي

فَهَل أَنتَ عَن فِعلِ المُتَيَّمِ راضِ

فَهَل أَنتَ عَن فِعلِ المُتَيَّمِ راضِ

I was miserly with my solace, but generous with my soul;

I have blamed my patience, and found fault with my passion

are you, then, pleased with the lovesick one's deed?

Are you pleased with the deeds of the lovesick one?

ضُلوعي عَلى نارٍ مِنَ الوَجدِ تَنحَني

ضُلوعي عَلى نارٍ مِنَ الوَجدِ تَنحَني

وَلكِنَّني جَلدُ القُوى مُتَغاضِ

وَلكِنَّني جَلدُ القُوى مُتَغاضِ

My ribs bend over a fire of longing,

My ribs ache from the fire of fervor

yet I remain strong, turning a blind eye.

But I am one firm of will, uncomplaining

ضَغائِنُ في هذا الزَمانِ عَلى الفَتى

ضَغائِنُ في هذا الزَمانِ عَلى الفَتى

فَمُستَقبلٌ مِن خَطبِهِنَّ وَماضِ

فَمُستَقبلٌ مِن خَطبِهِنَّ وَماضِ

In this age there are grudges against a young man;

In this time there are grudges against the youth

some of their affliction lies ahead, and some is past.

So the future holds both their calamities and the past's