وَأَهدى ليَ المَحبوبُ الأترُجَّ مُحسنا

وَأَهدى ليَ المَحبوبُ الأترُجَّ مُحسنا

فَيا حُسنَهُ مَولىً بِهِ عزَّ عَبدُهُ

فَيا حُسنَهُ مَولىً بِهِ عزَّ عَبدُهُ

And my beloved graciously gave me citrons.

The beloved gifted me a flower, pleasing and kind

How fine a master he is—through him his slave has gained honor!

Oh, his kindness, enriching his faithful servant

ثَمانيَ حَبّاتٍ غَرَسنَ مَحَبَّةً

ثَمانيَ حَبّاتٍ غَرَسنَ مَحَبَّةً

وَهَيَّجنَ مِن وَجدٍ تَقادَمَ عَهدُهُ

وَهَيَّجنَ مِن وَجدٍ تَقادَمَ عَهدُهُ

Eight fruits planted love

Eight petals planted a love

And stirred a passion of long standing.

And stirred up passion with an age-old covenant

تَجمَّعَ لي المثلانِ لوني وَلَونُها

تَجمَّعَ لي المثلانِ لوني وَلَونُها

كَما اِجتَمَعَ الضدّانِ قُربي وَبعدُهُ

كَما اِجتَمَعَ الضدّانِ قُربي وَبعدُهُ

Two like things came together for me: my color and theirs,

The two colors gathered for me, its color and mine

Just as two opposites met: my nearness and his distance.

As two opposites come together, my nearness and its distance

وَلَكن حَوى راءً وَجيما حُروفُهُ

وَلَكن حَوى راءً وَجيما حُروفُهُ

فَرَجَّيتُ أَن يَسخُو وَيَذهَبَ ضِدُّهُ

فَرَجَّيتُ أَن يَسخُو وَيَذهَبَ ضِدُّهُ

Yet the letters of its name held a rāʾ and a jīm,

Yet it contained a Raa and Jeem, its letters

So I hoped he would show generosity and its opposite would vanish.

I hoped its opposite would fade and go away

وَجاءَ كَما يُرجَى مِن الصَخر لينُهُ

وَجاءَ كَما يُرجَى مِن الصَخر لينُهُ

وَمِن حَرِّ أَنفاسي وَقَلبي بَردُهُ

وَمِن حَرِّ أَنفاسي وَقَلبي بَردُهُ

And his tenderness was what one might hope for from stone,

And it came, as softness hoped for from rock

And his coolness, what one might hope for from the heat of my breath and heart.

And coolness for my burning breath and heart

أُعَلِّلُ قَلبي بِالأَماني وَكَم صدٍ

أُعَلِّلُ قَلبي بِالأَماني وَكَم صدٍ

رَأى الماءَ لَكن لَيسَ يُمكنُ وِردُهُ

رَأى الماءَ لَكن لَيسَ يُمكنُ وِردُهُ

I soothe my heart with hopes; how many a thirsty soul

I justify my heart with wishes, and how often

Has seen water, yet cannot reach it to drink.

One saw water but cannot reach to drink it

فَحَسبيَ مِن وَصلٍ كَلامٌ وَنَظرَةٌ

فَحَسبيَ مِن وَصلٍ كَلامٌ وَنَظرَةٌ

وَذا غايَة الصَبِّ العَفيفِ وَقَصدُهُ

وَذا غايَة الصَبِّ العَفيفِ وَقَصدُهُ

So a word and a glance are union enough for me,

For me, it’s enough from a union but words and a glance

And this is the chaste lover's utmost aim and purpose.

This being the limit of chaste passion and its aim

وَلَم أَرَ مِثلي كانَ أَكتَمَ لِلهَوى

وَلَم أَرَ مِثلي كانَ أَكتَمَ لِلهَوى

صِيانَةُ حُبِّي إن يُدَنَّسَ بردُهُ

صِيانَةُ حُبِّي إن يُدَنَّسَ بردُهُ

And I have seen no one more secretive in love than I,

And I have not seen anyone who concealed his love more

Safeguarding my love lest its mantle be sullied.

Keeping my love safe if its coolness is violated