بروحي حَبيبٌ نَعَّمَ اللَهُ بالَه

بروحي حَبيبٌ نَعَّمَ اللَهُ بالَه

وَلا زالَ في أَمنٍ مَدى الدَهرِ جَذلانا

وَلا زالَ في أَمنٍ مَدى الدَهرِ جَذلانا

My soul be ransom for a beloved—may God grant him ease,

My soul has a beloved, may God bless his beauty

And may he remain safe and joyful through all time.

And he remains safe for ages, a supple branch

تملَّكني مِنهُ بِسحرِ جُفُونِهِ

تملَّكني مِنهُ بِسحرِ جُفُونِهِ

فَصِرتُ أخيذاً لا أَرى عَنهُ سُلوانا

فَصِرتُ أخيذاً لا أَرى عَنهُ سُلوانا

He mastered me with the magic of his eyelids,

His eyelids' magic captivated me

So I became a captive, finding no way to forget him.

So I became obsessed, seeing only him

غزالٌ لَهُ مَرعىً خَصيبٌ بِمُهجتي

غزالٌ لَهُ مَرعىً خَصيبٌ بِمُهجتي

وَسَلسالُ دَمعي يَغتَدي مِنهُ رَيّانا

وَسَلسالُ دَمعي يَغتَدي مِنهُ رَيّانا

A gazelle, he has lush pasture in my heart’s blood,

A gazelle who finds plentiful pasture in my love

And he begins the day quenched by the clear stream of my tears.

And my tear's necklace flows from him, lush

وَلما رَآني ذُبتُ مِنهُ صَبابَةً

وَلما رَآني ذُبتُ مِنهُ صَبابَةً

وَذُقتُ مَراراتِ المَحبةِ أَلوانا

وَذُقتُ مَراراتِ المَحبةِ أَلوانا

And when he saw me melt with longing for him,

When he saw me melting for him like wax

And taste love’s bitterness in many forms,

I tasted the bittersweet flavors of love

تَعجَّبَ من صَبري عَلى مُرِّ هَجرِهِ

تَعجَّبَ من صَبري عَلى مُرِّ هَجرِهِ

فَأَهدى ليَ الحلواءَ لُطفاً وَإِحسانا

فَأَهدى ليَ الحلواءَ لُطفاً وَإِحسانا

He marveled at my patience with his bitter desertion,

He wondered at my patience for his bitter estrangement

So he gave me sweets, in kindness and generosity.

So he gently gifted me sweetness, a kindness

توهَّمَ أَن أَشفى بِها فَإِذا بِها

توهَّمَ أَن أَشفى بِها فَإِذا بِها

يَزيدُ ضنىً جسمي وَقَلبي نِيرانا

يَزيدُ ضنىً جسمي وَقَلبي نِيرانا

He thought they would cure me—but behold, through them

He thought it would heal me, but it

My body grows more wasted and my heart more aflame.

Only stoked the fires in my body and heart

وَأَيُّ شفاءٍ لا يُرى شفَّهُ الهَوى

وَأَيُّ شفاءٍ لا يُرى شفَّهُ الهَوى

سِنينَ لَهُ تِسعاً يُكابِر أَشجانا

سِنينَ لَهُ تِسعاً يُكابِر أَشجانا

And what cure is there? None is seen; passion has wasted him,

What cure can be seen for love

For nine years, as he struggles against sorrows.

Whose nine years obstinately resist groans

أَيا مَهديَ الحَلواءِ في فيكَ شبهُها

أَيا مَهديَ الحَلواءِ في فيكَ شبهُها

بَل احلى بِهِ لَو شِئتَ أَرويتَ ظَمآنا

بَل احلى بِهِ لَو شِئتَ أَرويتَ ظَمآنا

O giver of sweets, in your mouth is their like—

Oh bestower of sweets, they resemble you

Rather, something sweeter; with it, if you wished, you could quench a thirsty man.

With them, if you wished, you could quench a thirst

وَيا مالِكاً رِقّي أَما لَكَ رِقَّة

وَيا مالِكاً رِقّي أَما لَكَ رِقَّة

عَلى عاشقٍ يَهواك سِراً وَإِعلانا

عَلى عاشقٍ يَهواك سِراً وَإِعلانا

And O you who hold me in bondage, have you no tenderness

Oh gentle master, have you no gentleness

For a lover who loves you in secret and openly?

For a lover who secretly and openly loves you?

وَكُنتُ أَرى أَنَّ التَهاجُرَ يَنقَضي

وَكُنتُ أَرى أَنَّ التَهاجُرَ يَنقَضي

إِذا الحسنُ يَكسو وَردَ خَدَّيكَ رَيحانا

إِذا الحسنُ يَكسو وَردَ خَدَّيكَ رَيحانا

And I thought our estrangement would end

I thought that estrangement would end

When beauty clothed the roses of your cheeks in basil.

When roses adorned your cheek

وَقَد زِدتَ في تِيهٍ وَعُجبٍ وَنَخوَةٍ

وَقَد زِدتَ في تِيهٍ وَعُجبٍ وَنَخوَةٍ

أَخاً لَكَ ما الفردوس خاتلت رِضوانا

أَخاً لَكَ ما الفردوس خاتلت رِضوانا

Yet you have grown in haughtiness, vanity, and pride.

But you only increased my bewilderment and pride

[Opening unclear: “a brother of yours ... Paradise.”] You outwitted Riḍwān.

As if, my friend, you found paradise sufficient

فَجئتَ إِلى الدُنيا فَريداً فَلا تَرى

فَجئتَ إِلى الدُنيا فَريداً فَلا تَرى

بِها عاشِقاً إِلا بِحُبِّكَ مَلآنا

بِها عاشِقاً إِلا بِحُبِّكَ مَلآنا

So you came into the world peerless, and you see no

You came into this world peerless, so you see

Lover in it who is not filled with love for you.

No lovers but those filled with love of you