Poems
- أبطحاء مكة هذا الذيO plain of Mecca, this is what
- أحب قلبي وما درى بدنيMy heart fell in love, but my body did not know;
- إذا عاتبته أو عاتبوهWhenever I reproach him, or they reproach him,
- إذا ما كنت لي عيداIf you are my Eid,
- أروح وقد ختمت على فؤاديI go forth, and you have sealed my heart
- أسائل عن ليلى فهل من مخبرI ask about Layla—so is there anyone to tell me,
- أسر بمهلكي فيه لأنيI rejoice in my destruction in him, for I
- أظلت علينا اليوم منك غمامةToday, a cloud from you has cast its shade over us;
- أقلل ما بي فيك وهو كثيرI make light of what I suffer for you, though it is great.
- الحمد لله على أننيPraise be to God that I am
- الصبر يجمل في المواطن كلهاPatience is beautiful in every circumstance—
- الغيم رطب يناديThe cloud, heavy with rain, calls out:
- الناس في العيد قد سروا وقد فرحواThe people at Eid were delighted and rejoiced,
- الوجد عندي جحودEcstasy, to me, is denial
- أليس من السعادة أن داريIs it not a joy that my home
- أما الخيام فإنها كخيامهمAs for the tents, they are just like their tents;
- إن المحبة للرحمن تسكرنيIndeed, love for the All-Merciful intoxicates me.
- إن المحبين أحياء وإن دفنواIndeed, lovers are alive, even if they are buried—
- أنبتت صبابتكمMy yearning for you has brought forth
- أنت سؤالي ومنيتيYou are what I ask for and what I long for.
- إني لأحسد ناظري عليكاI truly envy my own eyes for beholding you,
- إني وإن كنت قد أسأت بي اليومIndeed, though you have treated me badly today,
- باح مجنون عامرٍ بهواهMajnun of ʿAmir revealed his love,
- بعدك مني قرباكYour distance from me is your nearness.
- تزين الناس يوم العيد للعيدThe people adorned themselves on the feast day for the feast.
- تسربلت للحرب ثوب الغرقI clothed myself for war in the robe of drowning.
- تسرمد وقتي فيك فهو مسرمدMy time became eternal in you, so it is made eternal.
- تشاغلتم عنا بصحبة غيرناYou turned your attention from us to the company of others.
- تعود بسط الكف حتى لو أنهHe has grown so used to opening his hand that, were he
- تغنى العود فاشتقناThe lute sang, and we yearned
- تمنيت نارا أستضي بضوئهاI wished for a fire by whose light I might be illumined.
- جرى السيل فاستبكاني السيل إذ جرىThe torrent flowed, and the torrent made me weep as it flowed.
- جننا على ليلى وجنت بغيرناWe went mad over Layla, and she went mad over someone other than us.
- خليلي إذا دام هم النفوسMy friend, if the anguish of souls persists,
- خيالك في عيني وذكرك في فميYour image is in my eye, and remembrance of you is in my mouth;
- دع الأقمار تغرب أو تنيرLet the moons set or shine.
- ذاب مما في فؤادي بدنيMy body melted from what was in my heart,
- ذكرتك لا أني نسيتك لمحةI remembered you—not that I had forgotten you for an instant.
- رآني فأوراني عجائب لطفهHe saw me, then showed me the wonders of His grace.
- رب ورقاء هتوف في الضحىMany a gray dove, calling in the forenoon,
- رهبان مدين والذين عهدتهمThe monks of Midian and those I have known
- سألبس للصبر ثوبا جميلاFor patience, I shall don a beautiful robe.
- سقيا لمعهدك الذي لو لم يكنMay rain bless your dwelling—which, had it not been,
- شرط المعارف محو الكل منك إذاThe condition of gnosis is that all be effaced from you, when
- شققت جيبي عليك حقاI truly tore my collar over you,
- طرحوا اللحم للبزاةThey threw the meat to the falcons
- عبرات خططن في الخد سطراTears have traced a line upon the cheek;
- علم التصوف علم لا نفاد لهThe knowledge of Sufism is knowledge without end,
- على بعدك لا يصبرYour distance cannot be endur—
- عودوني الوصال والوصل عذبThey accustomed me to union—and union is sweet;
- عيدي مقيم وعيد الناس منصرفMy Eid abides, while everyone else’s Eid passes away;
- غبت عني فما أحس بنفسيI have vanished from myself, and no longer feel my own being;
- فقلت أليس قد فضوا كتابيI said, “Have they not already unsealed my letter?”
- فلو أن لي في كل يوم وليلةFor if I had, each day and night,
- فمن كان في طول الهوى ذاق سلوةWhoever, through love’s long years, has tasted consolation—
- قال سلطان حبهThe sovereign of his love said:
- قالوا أتى العيد ماذا أنت لابِسهThey said, “Eid has come—what will you wear?”
- قالوا تنقب وزر فقلت لهمThey said, “Veil yourself and visit.” I told them:
- قالوا جننت على ليلى فقلت لهمThey said, “You have gone mad over Layla,” so I told them:
- قد تخللت مسلك الروح منيYou have permeated the pathway of the soul within me.
- قد نادت الدنيا على أهلهاThe world has indeed called out to its people:
- كأن رقيبا منك يرعى خواطريAs though a watcher from you guards my thoughts,
- كلما قلت قد دنا حل قيديWhenever I said, “The loosening of my fetter has drawn near,”
- كما ترى حيرنيAs you see, he has bewildered me;
- لا تشغلِ اليوم بالصباباتDo not be preoccupied today with passionate longings;
- لتحشرن عظامي بعد إذ بليتMy bones shall surely be gathered after they have decayed,
- لحا الله ذي الدنيا مناخا لراكبMay God curse this world as a halting place for a rider;
- لحا الله ذي الدنيا مناخا لراكبMay God curse this world as a resting place for a rider;
- لست من جملة المحبين إن لمI am not counted among the lovers unless
- لقد فضلت ليلى على الناس كالتيLayla has indeed been favored above all people, just as
- للناس فطر وعيدFor the people, fast-breaking and a festival;
- لما بدا طالعا غابت لهيبتهWhen he rose into view, before his awe there vanished
- لها في طرفها لحظات سحرIn her eyes are glances of enchantment.
- لي سكرتان وللندمان واحدةI have two states of intoxication, and the drinking companions have one—
- لي فيك يا حسرتي حسرةFor you, O my heartache, I ache with longing;
- ليت شعري كيف ذكريIf only I knew how I am remembered
- ليس تخلو جوارحي منك وقتاNot for a moment are my limbs free of you;
- ليس عيد المحب قصد المصلىThe lover’s Eid is not making for the prayer ground,
- ليس مني إليك قلب معنىIt is not merely one love-tormented heart of mine that yearns for you;
- مضت الشبيبة والحبيبة فانبرىYouth and the beloved have gone; then forth sprang
- مضى زمن والناس يستشفعون بيGone is the time when people sought my intercession;
- مكين في معامله مكينFirmly established in the one he deals with, firmly established.
- من اعتز بذي العززWhoever is proud of the glorious one
- من أين لي أين وإني كما ترىHow can I have a ‘where,’ when, as you see,
- من لم يكن للوصال أهلاWhoever is not worthy of union—
- نزلنا السن نستناWe alighted at al-Sinn, following the customary way.
- نسيت اليوم من عشقي صلاتيToday, because of my passionate love, I forgot my prayer.
- هذه دارهم وأنت محبThis is their dwelling, and you are a lover;
- وأعجب شيء سمعنا بهAnd the strangest thing we have heard of:
- والهجر لو سكن الجنان تحولتAnd if separation dwelt in Paradise, they would turn—
- وأمطر الكأس ماء من أبارقهاAnd the cup rained down water from its ewers,
- وإني وإياه لفي الحب صادقAnd he and I are indeed sincere in love.
- وتحسبني حيا وإني لميتYou think me alive, though truly I am dead;
- ودادكم هجر وحبكم قلىYour affection is estrangement, and your love is aversion;
- ورق الجو حتى قيل هذاAnd the air grew gentle, until it was said: this is
- وشغلت عن فهم الحديث سوىI was distracted from understanding any speech except
- وعينان قال الله كونا فكانتاTwo eyes—God said, “Be,” and they were;
- وكذبت طرفي فيك والطرف صادقI disbelieved my own eyes concerning you, though the eye is truthful,
- وكم من موضع لومت فيهAnd how many a place there is where, were I to die,
- ولو قلت طأ في النار بادرت نحوهأAnd even if you said, "Step into the fire," I would hasten toward it,
- ويقبح من سواك الفعل عنديAnd an act done by anyone but you is ugly in my eyes;
- يا أيها السيد الكريمO noble and gracious lord,
- يا بديع الدل والغنجO you of wondrous coyness and coquetry,
- يا منية المتمنيO desire of the one who yearns,
- يا موضع الناظرِ من ناظريO you who hold the pupil’s place within my eye,
- يا هلال السما كطرف كليلO crescent of the sky, like a weary eye,
- يحبك قلبي ما حييت فإن أمتMy heart loves you as long as I live; and if I die,
- يقول خليلي كيف صبرك عنهمMy friend says, “How can you endure being apart from them?”
- يقولون زرنا واقض واجب حقناThey say, “Visit us and fulfill the duty you owe us.”
No poems found.