صَدَقتَ وَقَد أَودى الهَوى بِحشاشَتي

صَدَقتَ وَقَد أَودى الهَوى بِحشاشَتي

عَشيَّة زُمَّت لِلرَّحيلِ قِلاصُ

عَشيَّة زُمَّت لِلرَّحيلِ قِلاصُ

You spoke truly, though love had destroyed my heart’s core,

You spoke truly, and love had already consumed my life's last spark,

You were right, and passion has ruined my recklessness

You spoke the truth—and passion had already consumed my dying breath—on the evening the riding camels were bridled for departure.

the evening the young she-camels were saddled for departure.

On the evening when young she-camels were haltered for departure.

An evening was set for departure, my provisions depleted

You barred me from the water source I sought to drink, while the traces of youth and its courtyards turned to desolate ruins.

صَدَدتَ عَنِ الماءِ الَّذي كُنتُ وارِداً

صَدَدتَ عَنِ الماءِ الَّذي كُنتُ وارِداً

وَأَقوت رُسوم لِلصّبا وَعراصُ

وَأَقوت رُسوم لِلصّبا وَعراصُ

You barred me from the water I had come to drink,

You turned away from the water I was approaching,

You blocked off the water that I was heading towards

I grew deaf to the camel-singer, blind from weeping, and hastened toward a separation from which there is no escape.

and the traces and courtyards of youth lay desolate.

And the traces and open grounds of youth lay deserted.

And I paid youth’s due while still green

The vicissitudes of the nights have aimed their arrows at me, and I possess no armor of beautiful patience to shield me.

صممتُ عَنِ الحادي عُميتُ مِنَ البُكا

صممتُ عَنِ الحادي عُميتُ مِنَ البُكا

ذَملتُ لِبَينٍ لَيسَ عَنهُ مناصُ

ذَملتُ لِبَينٍ لَيسَ عَنهُ مناصُ

I grew deaf to the camel-driver, and blind from weeping;

I grew deaf to the camel-driver; I grew blind from weeping.

I turned away from the guide, blinded from tears

We turned the cords of union away from a sun within a canopy, adorned with braids dark as the pitch-black night.

I pressed on through a parting from which there was no escape.

I hastened toward a parting from which there is no escape.

I endured the separation from which there is no escape

I yearned for her, and she purchased me with a single glance for a pittance; thus are lovers sold so cheap.

صُروفُ اللَيالي فَوَّقت لي سِهامها

صُروفُ اللَيالي فَوَّقت لي سِهامها

فَما لي مِنَ الصَبرِ الجَميلِ دلاصُ

فَما لي مِنَ الصَبرِ الجَميلِ دلاصُ

The vicissitudes of the nights aimed their arrows at me,

The vicissitudes of the nights nocked their arrows for me,

The nights’ circumstances aimed their arrows over me

Her affection would have been pure, had not slanderers and guards, intent on watching me, stood between us and our union.

and I had no supple armor of noble patience.

And I have no armor of gracious patience.

Thus I have no patience or grace as a shield

I endured while both my eyes burned hot, a sea of tears in which their pupils were forced to dive.

صَرَفنا حِبالَ الوَصلِ عَن شَمسِ كُلَّة

صَرَفنا حِبالَ الوَصلِ عَن شَمسِ كُلَّة

عَلَيها مِنَ اللَيلِ البَهيمِ عِقاصُ

عَلَيها مِنَ اللَيلِ البَهيمِ عِقاصُ

We withdrew the cords of union from a sun within her curtained pavilion,

We turned the cords of union away from a sun beneath a canopy,

We untied the ropes of bond from the sun of the whole

Every other heart has sobered and found rest from passion, yet for my heart, there is no deliverance from loving you.

upon whom lay tresses of the pitch-black night.

Upon her lie braids of pitch-black night.

Over it the vicious night has watchmen

Grant union in love, that your victim may claim his due retribution, for my Lord has declared: 'And wounds shall be requited.'

صَبَوتُ إِلَيها فَاِشتَرَتني بِلَحظِها

صَبَوتُ إِلَيها فَاِشتَرَتني بِلَحظِها

رَخيصاً كَذاكَ العاشِقونَ رِخاصُ

رَخيصاً كَذاكَ العاشِقونَ رِخاصُ

I yearned for her, and with her glance she bought me

I yearned for her, and she bought me with her glance,

I surrendered myself to her, so with a glance she bought me

cheaply—for so are lovers cheaply valued.

Cheaply—so cheap are lovers.

Cheaply – that is how lovers are fleeced

صَفا وُدَّها لَو لَم يَحُل دونَ وَصلها

صَفا وُدَّها لَو لَم يَحُل دونَ وَصلها

وشاةٌ وَحُرّاسٌ عَليَّ حِراصُ

وشاةٌ وَحُرّاسٌ عَليَّ حِراصُ

Her affection would have been pure, had there not stood between us and union

Her love would have been unclouded, had union with her not been barred by

The sincerity of her love, if no ewe and guardsmen stood in the way of attaining it

slanderers and guards intent on thwarting me.

Slanderers and guards keeping vigilant watch over me.

I endured as both my watering eyes rained tears

صَبَرتُ وَكِلتا مُقلَتَيَّ سَخينَةٌ

صَبَرتُ وَكِلتا مُقلَتَيَّ سَخينَةٌ

لِإِنسانِها بَحرُ الدُموعِ مَغاصُ

لِإِنسانِها بَحرُ الدُموعِ مَغاصُ

I endured, though both my eyes burned hot with tears;

I endured, though both my eyes were hot with tears;

For her human, the sea of tears a whirlpool

for each pupil, the sea of tears was a place to dive.

The sea of tears was a diving place for each pupil.

Every heart woke and found relief from passion

صَحا كُلُّ قَلبٍ فَاِستَراحَ مِنَ الهَوى

صَحا كُلُّ قَلبٍ فَاِستَراحَ مِنَ الهَوى

وَلَيسَ لِقَلبي مِن هَواكَ خَلاصُ

وَلَيسَ لِقَلبي مِن هَواكَ خَلاصُ

Every heart has sobered and found relief from love,

Every heart grew sober and found relief from love,

But for my heart there is no salvation from loving you

but for my heart there is no deliverance from loving you.

But my heart has no release from loving you.

Reconcile in passion, so your wounded will avenge you

صِلُوا فى الهَوى يَقتَصُّ مِنكُم جَريحكُم

صِلُوا فى الهَوى يَقتَصُّ مِنكُم جَريحكُم

فَقَد قالَ رَبّي وَالجُروحُ قصاصُ

فَقَد قالَ رَبّي وَالجُروحُ قصاصُ

Grant union in love, so the one you wounded may exact redress from you;

Grant union in love, that your wounded one may exact redress from you,

For my Lord has said, and wounds deserve retaliation

for my Lord has said: wounds are subject to equal retribution.

For my Lord has said: 'And wounds are subject to equal retribution.'