مَتى يَشتَكي المُشتاقُ مِمَّن يُحِبُّهُ

مَتى يَشتَكي المُشتاقُ مِمَّن يُحِبُّهُ

وَهَل تَنفَعُ الشَكوى إِلى غَيرِ راحِمِ

وَهَل تَنفَعُ الشَكوى إِلى غَيرِ راحِمِ

When does the yearning lover complain of the one he loves?

When does the longing lover complain of the one he loves?

When does the yearning lover complain of the one he adores?

And does complaint to one without mercy avail?

And does complaining to other than a sympathizer help?

And of what avail is a complaint to one who shows no mercy?

مَنِيَّتُهُ أَولى بِهِ مِن حَياتِهِ

مَنِيَّتُهُ أَولى بِهِ مِن حَياتِهِ

إِذا كانَ شَكوى الحبِّ ضَربَة لازِمِ

إِذا كانَ شَكوى الحبِّ ضَربَة لازِمِ

His death is better for him than his life,

His death is more suited to him than his life,

His death is more befitting him than his life,

If lamenting love is an inescapable blow.

If complaining of love is a necessary blow.

If the complaint of love becomes an inescapable decree.

مُنِعتُ وُرودَ الماءِ وَالنار في الحَشا

مُنِعتُ وُرودَ الماءِ وَالنار في الحَشا

فَحَتّامَ أَصدى مُفطراً مِثلَ صائِمِ

فَحَتّامَ أَصدى مُفطراً مِثلَ صائِمِ

I have been barred from water, while fire burns in my breast;

I was denied the coming together of water and fire in the valley,

I was denied access to water while fire rages in my entrails;

So how long shall I thirst, not fasting, like one who fasts?

So I moaned, breaking my fast like one who fasts.

How long must I thirst, breaking fast yet remaining like one who fasts?

مِياهُ الغَوادي وَالجَداوِلُ جَمَّةٌ

مِياهُ الغَوادي وَالجَداوِلُ جَمَّةٌ

وَأَرغَبُ عَنها بِالدُموعِ السَواجِمِ

وَأَرغَبُ عَنها بِالدُموعِ السَواجِمِ

The waters of morning rainclouds and the streams are plentiful,

The waters of the valleys and streams are all stopped up,

The waters of morning rains and streams are abundant,

Yet I shun them in favor of streaming tears.

Yet I am more inclined to them than to the pouring tears.

Yet I turn away from them, content with my flowing tears.

مَواردُكُم أَشهى إِلى الحائِمِ الصَدي

مَواردُكُم أَشهى إِلى الحائِمِ الصَدي

وَلَو أَنَّها شيبَت بِسمِّ الأَراقِمِ

وَلَو أَنَّها شيبَت بِسمِّ الأَراقِمِ

Your watering places are more tempting to the circling, thirsty one,

Your dwellings are most tempting to the starving refugee,

Your watering places are more desirable to the thirsty, hovering soul,

Even if they were mixed with the venom of speckled serpents.

Even if they are made hoary by the inscriptions of time.

Even were they mingled with the venom of vipers.

مننتُم عَلَينا مَرَّةً بِوِصالِكُم

مننتُم عَلَينا مَرَّةً بِوِصالِكُم

وَسالَمتُمُ وَالدَهرُ غَيرُ مُسالِمِ

وَسالَمتُمُ وَالدَهرُ غَيرُ مُسالِمِ

You once granted us union with you,

You bestowed favor on us once by your company,

You bestowed the grace of your union upon us but once,

And made peace with us, though time was not at peace.

Then bade farewell, while time remains pitiless.

And you granted peace when Fate itself offered no truce.

مَحَوتُم كِتاباً لِلعِتابِ خَطَطتُهُ

مَحَوتُم كِتاباً لِلعِتابِ خَطَطتُهُ

وَمُدَّ لِمَبنِيِّ الرِضا كَفُّ هادِمِ

وَمُدَّ لِمَبنِيِّ الرِضا كَفُّ هادِمِ

You erased a letter of reproach I had penned,

You erased a tablet on which reproach was writ,

You erased a missive of reproach that I had inscribed,

And a destroyer's hand was stretched toward the edifice of contentment.

And the hand of approval was extended to my structure of acceptance.

And the hand of a destroyer was extended to the edifice of contentment.

مَعالِمُ أَحيا الحبّ فيها قتيلَهُ

مَعالِمُ أَحيا الحبّ فيها قتيلَهُ

وَأَنصف مِن تِلكَ العُيونِ الظِوالِمِ

وَأَنصف مِن تِلكَ العُيونِ الظِوالِمِ

Landmarks where love revived the one it had slain,

The landmarks of my life in which love's victim was revived,

Landmarks wherein Love revived its slain victim,

And exacted redress from those unjust eyes.

And I was vindicated by those tyrannical eyes.

And exacted justice from those tyrannical eyes.

مَلَكنَ فَلَمّا جُرنَ كانَ اِنتِصافُنا

مَلَكنَ فَلَمّا جُرنَ كانَ اِنتِصافُنا

بِتِلكَ الثَنايا وَالخُدودِ النَواعِمِ

بِتِلكَ الثَنايا وَالخُدودِ النَواعِمِ

They ruled; then, when they acted unjustly, our redress was

They possessed me, and when they turned away, my vindication

They held dominion, and when they oppressed, our retribution lay

Through those front teeth and tender cheeks—

Was in those delicate cheeks and soft skin.

In those gleaming teeth and soft, silken cheeks.

مَلاماً لِأَيّامٍ مَضَينَ عَلى النَوى

مَلاماً لِأَيّامٍ مَضَينَ عَلى النَوى

وَمَعذِرَةً لي في الصِبا المُتَقادِمِ

وَمَعذِرَةً لي في الصِبا المُتَقادِمِ

A reproach to days that passed in separation,

I blame the days that have passed over my intent,

A rebuke to the days that passed in separation,

And an excuse for me for my youthful passion of long ago.

And I apologize for my advancing youth.

And a vindication for me regarding my enduring passion.