بِاللَهِ يا حُلوَةَ العَينَينِ زوريني

بِاللَهِ يا حُلوَةَ العَينَينِ زوريني

قَبلَ المَماتِ وَإِلّا فَاِستَزيريني

قَبلَ المَماتِ وَإِلّا فَاِستَزيريني

By God, O sweet-eyed one, visit me

In God's name, O beauty of eyes, visit me

before I die—or else invite me to visit you.

Before death, or send me an excuse

هَذانِ أَمرانِ فَاِختاري أَحَبَّهُما

هَذانِ أَمرانِ فَاِختاري أَحَبَّهُما

إِلَيكَ أَو لا فَداعي المَوتَ يَدعوني

إِلَيكَ أَو لا فَداعي المَوتَ يَدعوني

These are two choices; choose the one dearer

These two matters, so choose what you love

to you—or not, for death's herald calls me.

Whether to you or death calls me

إِن شِئتِ موتاً فَأَنتِ الدَهرَ مالِكَةٌ

إِن شِئتِ موتاً فَأَنتِ الدَهرَ مالِكَةٌ

روحي وَإِن شِئتِ أَن أَحيا فَأَحيِيني

روحي وَإِن شِئتِ أَن أَحيا فَأَحيِيني

If you wish my death, you are forever mistress of

If you wish me dead, you own my soul

my soul; and if you wish me to live, give me life.

And if you wish me alive, then give me life

يا عُتبَ ما أَنتِ إِلّا بُدعَةٌ خُلِقَت

يا عُتبَ ما أَنتِ إِلّا بُدعَةٌ خُلِقَت

مِن غَيرِ طينٍ وَخَلقُ الناسِ مِن طينِ

مِن غَيرِ طينٍ وَخَلقُ الناسِ مِن طينِ

O ʿUtb, you are nothing but a marvel, created

O, you blame, you are but an innovation created

from something other than clay, while humankind is made from clay.

Not of clay, while people are of clay made

كَم عائِبٍ لَكَ لَم أَسمَع مَقالَتَهُ

كَم عائِبٍ لَكَ لَم أَسمَع مَقالَتَهُ

وَلَم يَزِدكِ لَدَينا غَيرَ تَزيِينِ

وَلَم يَزِدكِ لَدَينا غَيرَ تَزيِينِ

Many a critic of yours, whose words I did not heed,

How many detractors of yours have I not heard

has only enhanced your beauty in our eyes.

And none could seduce me but your adornment

كَأَنَّ عائِبَكُم يُبدي مَحاسِنَكُم

كَأَنَّ عائِبَكُم يُبدي مَحاسِنَكُم

وَصفاً فَيَمدَحُكُم عِندي وَيُغريني

وَصفاً فَيَمدَحُكُم عِندي وَيُغريني

It is as though your critic reveals your charms

As if your critics but show your virtues

in his description, thus praising you to me and enticing me.

Praising you to me and tempting me

ما فَوقَ حُبِّكِ حُبّاً لَستُ أَعلَمُهُ

ما فَوقَ حُبِّكِ حُبّاً لَستُ أَعلَمُهُ

فَلا يَضُرُّكِ أَن لا تَستَزيديني

فَلا يَضُرُّكِ أَن لا تَستَزيديني

I know no love greater than my love for you,

No love do I know beyond loving you

so it does you no harm not to ask me for more.

So it hurts you not that I want no more of you

إِنّي لَأَعجَبُ مِن حُبٍّ يُقَرِّبُني

إِنّي لَأَعجَبُ مِن حُبٍّ يُقَرِّبُني

مِمَّن يُباعِدُني مِنهُ وَيُقصيني

مِمَّن يُباعِدُني مِنهُ وَيُقصيني

I truly marvel at a love that draws me close

I wonder at a love that draws me close

to someone who keeps me far from them and drives me away.

To one who distances me and excludes me

لَو كانَ يُنصِفَني مِمّا كَلِفتُ بِهِ

لَو كانَ يُنصِفَني مِمّا كَلِفتُ بِهِ

إِذاً رَضيتُ وَكانَ النِصفُ يُرضيني

إِذاً رَضيتُ وَكانَ النِصفُ يُرضيني

If I were treated fairly in what I am devoted to,

If he would just favor me with what I'm tasked

then I would be content; fairness would satisfy me.

Then I'd be pleased, and half would satisfy me

يا أَهلَ وُدِّيَ إِنّي قَد لَطَفتُ بِكُم

يا أَهلَ وُدِّيَ إِنّي قَد لَطَفتُ بِكُم

في الحُبِّ جُهدي وَلَكِن لا تُبالوني

في الحُبِّ جُهدي وَلَكِن لا تُبالوني

O you whom I love, I have treated you tenderly

O people of my love, I've been kind to you

in love, to the utmost of my ability, yet you pay me no heed.

In love, exhausting myself, but you don't care for me

الحَمدُ لِلَّهِ قَد كُنّا نَظُنُّكُمُ

الحَمدُ لِلَّهِ قَد كُنّا نَظُنُّكُمُ

مِن أَرحَمِ الناسِ طُرّاً بِالمَساكينِ

مِن أَرحَمِ الناسِ طُرّاً بِالمَساكينِ

Praise be to God! We had thought you

Thanks be to God, I thought you all

among the most merciful of all people toward the poor.

The most merciful of people to the weak

أَمّا الكَثيرُ فَلا أَرجوهُ مِنكِ وَلَو

أَمّا الكَثيرُ فَلا أَرجوهُ مِنكِ وَلَو

أَطمَعتِني في قَليلٍ كانَ يَكفيني

أَطمَعتِني في قَليلٍ كانَ يَكفيني

As for much, I do not hope for it from you; and if

As for plenty, I expect none from you, and even

you gave me hope of a little, it would be enough for me.

If you made me hope for little, that would suffice me