وَإنَّ مَقامَ الحبِّ عِندي ساعة

وَإنَّ مَقامَ الحبِّ عِندي ساعة

لسعدِكَ ملك الأَرضِ بَل هُوَ أَشرَفُ

لسعدِكَ ملك الأَرضِ بَل هُوَ أَشرَفُ

Indeed, an hour’s sojourn in love, to my mind,

And indeed, the beloved's stay with me for an hour

by your good fortune, is dominion over the earth—nay, something nobler.

is, by your good fortune, dominion over the earth—nay, it is nobler.

يَجودُ بِأُنسٍ مَع حَديثٍ كَأَنَّهُ

يَجودُ بِأُنسٍ مَع حَديثٍ كَأَنَّهُ

جَنى النحلِ مَمزوجاً بِهِ مِنهُ قَرقَفُ

جَنى النحلِ مَمزوجاً بِهِ مِنهُ قَرقَفُ

bestows intimacy and conversation as though it were

He bestows companionship, with conversation that is like

the bees’ gathered honey, blended with heady wine.

the bees' honey, mingled with wine from him.

وَيَعرِفُ أَن قَد ذُبتُ مِنهُ صَبابَةً

وَيَعرِفُ أَن قَد ذُبتُ مِنهُ صَبابَةً

وَما عارفٌ حباً كَمن لَيسَ يَعرِفُ

وَما عارفٌ حباً كَمن لَيسَ يَعرِفُ

And he knows that I have melted away for him in ardent longing;

And he knows that I have indeed melted with longing for him,

one acquainted with love is not like one who does not know it.

and one who knows love is not like one who does not.

وَتَسري إِلى قَلبي لَطائِفُ أُنسِهِ

وَتَسري إِلى قَلبي لَطائِفُ أُنسِهِ

فَيَقوى بِذاكَ الأُنس من حَيثُ يَضعفُ

فَيَقوى بِذاكَ الأُنس من حَيثُ يَضعفُ

The subtle graces of his intimacy steal into my heart,

And the subtle delights of his company flow into my heart,

and through that intimacy it grows strong precisely where it is weak.

so through that companionship it grows strong where it weakens.

وَلَم أَرَ أَحلى مِن منادمةِ الهَوى

وَلَم أَرَ أَحلى مِن منادمةِ الهَوى

وَلا سيَّما إِن كانَ حُبُّك يُنصِفُ

وَلا سيَّما إِن كانَ حُبُّك يُنصِفُ

Never have I seen anything sweeter than love’s convivial company,

And I have seen nothing sweeter than keeping love company,

especially if your love treats you fairly.

especially if your love treats you fairly.

فَنهصُرُ مِن ذاكَ القوام أَراكَةً

فَنهصُرُ مِن ذاكَ القوام أَراكَةً

وَتلثُمُ خَدّاً فيهِ وَردٌ مُضَعَّفُ

وَتلثُمُ خَدّاً فيهِ وَردٌ مُضَعَّفُ

So from that figure we bend an arak tree down,

So we bend that graceful form like an arak tree,

and she kisses a cheek where roses bloom twofold.

and you kiss a cheek bearing a double rose.

أَرَى كُلَّ مَن يَهوى يَحِنُّ حَبيبُهُ

أَرَى كُلَّ مَن يَهوى يَحِنُّ حَبيبُهُ

إِليهِ وَيُدنيهِ وَبِالوَصلِ يُسعِفُ

إِليهِ وَيُدنيهِ وَبِالوَصلِ يُسعِفُ

I see that everyone who loves has a beloved who yearns

I see that every lover's beloved yearns

toward him, draws him near, and favors him with union.

for him, draws him near, and grants him union.

وَقَلبي أَراه لَم يَكُن قَطُّ مائِلاً

وَقَلبي أَراه لَم يَكُن قَطُّ مائِلاً

لِمحبوبٍ إلا وَهوَ يَجفُو وَيجنفُ

لِمحبوبٍ إلا وَهوَ يَجفُو وَيجنفُ

Yet my heart, I see, has never once inclined

And my heart, I see, has never inclined

toward a beloved without his shunning me and turning unfairly away.

toward a beloved without his being harsh and unjust.