يا بَخيلاً حَتّى بِرَجعِ سَلامٍ

يا بَخيلاً حَتّى بِرَجعِ سَلامٍ

زارَني مِن خَيالِكَ الصبح طَيفُ

زارَني مِن خَيالِكَ الصبح طَيفُ

O you who are stingy even in returning a greeting,

O you who begrudge even returning a greeting!

At dawn, a phantom born of your image visited me.

At dawn, a phantom of your likeness visited me.

حينَ وافى يشُقُّ جُنحَ الدَياجي

حينَ وافى يشُقُّ جُنحَ الدَياجي

قُلتُ أَهلاً بِزائِرٍ هُوَ ضَيفُ

قُلتُ أَهلاً بِزائِرٍ هُوَ ضَيفُ

When it arrived, cleaving the wing of the deep darkness,

When it came, cleaving the dark nights' gloom,

I said, “Welcome—a visitor who comes as my guest!”

I said, 'Welcome to a visitor who is a guest!'

كُلَما رُمتُ قُربَهُ قَد تَناءى

كُلَما رُمتُ قُربَهُ قَد تَناءى

وَاحتفاءً بِهِ بَدا مِنهُ حَيفُ

وَاحتفاءً بِهِ بَدا مِنهُ حَيفُ

Whenever I sought to draw near it, it withdrew afar;

Whenever I sought to draw near it, it drew away;

despite my warm welcome, it showed me only cruelty.

and in return for my warm welcome, it showed injustice.

قُلت كَيفَ الخَلاصُ مِن حُبِّ ريمٍ

قُلت كَيفَ الخَلاصُ مِن حُبِّ ريمٍ

قَد سَباني وَلَيس يَنفَعُ كَيفُ

قَد سَباني وَلَيس يَنفَعُ كَيفُ

I said, “How can I escape the love of a gazelle

I said, 'How can I escape the love of a gazelle

who has enthralled me, when asking ‘how?’ is no help?”

that has taken me captive?' Yet 'how' is of no use.

بِقَوامٍ قَد هُزَّ لي مِنهُ رُمحٌ

بِقَوامٍ قَد هُزَّ لي مِنهُ رُمحٌ

وَبِطَرفٍ قَد سُلَّ لي مِنهُ سَيفُ

وَبِطَرفٍ قَد سُلَّ لي مِنهُ سَيفُ

With a figure from which a spear was brandished at me,

With a stature from which a spear was brandished at me,

and a glance from which a sword was drawn against me.

and a gaze from which a sword was drawn against me.

فَدُموعٌ تهمي وَحَرُّ لَهيب

فَدُموعٌ تهمي وَحَرُّ لَهيب

فَبِعيني مشتى وَبِالقَلبِ صَيفُ

فَبِعيني مشتى وَبِالقَلبِ صَيفُ

Tears pour down, while a flame’s heat rages:

So tears pour down, and a blaze burns hot:

winter dwells in my eyes, and summer in my heart.

so winter is in my eye, and summer in my heart.

كانَ زَرعي ودادُه أَرتَجيهِ

كانَ زَرعي ودادُه أَرتَجيهِ

فَإِذا الزَرعُ جاءهُ مِنهُ هَيفُ

فَإِذا الزَرعُ جاءهُ مِنهُ هَيفُ

My crop was his affection—the harvest I had hoped for—

My crop was his affection, which I hoped for;

but behold, from him a scorching wind struck the crop.

then suddenly a parching wind from him reached the crop.

وَأَراهُ فَزِدتُ فيهِ وِداداً

وَأَراهُ فَزِدتُ فيهِ وِداداً

وَيَراني فَزادَني مِنهُ عَيفُ

وَيَراني فَزادَني مِنهُ عَيفُ

When I see him, I grow still deeper in affection;

And I see him, and my affection for him has grown;

when he sees me, he grows still more averse to me.

and he sees me, and his aversion toward me has grown.

قسماً بِالمَقامِ وَالرُكنِ وَالبيت

قسماً بِالمَقامِ وَالرُكنِ وَالبيت

وَما ضَمَّهُ الآلُ وَخَيفُ

وَما ضَمَّهُ الآلُ وَخَيفُ

I swear by the Station, the Corner, and the House,

I swear by the Station, the Corner, and the House,

and by all that the Prophet’s Family and al-Khayf embrace:

and all that Āl and Khayf encompass:

إِنَّ حُبّي لخالصٌ ذو صَفاءٍ

إِنَّ حُبّي لخالصٌ ذو صَفاءٍ

وَمحباتُ ذا الوَرى الكلِّ زيفُ

وَمحباتُ ذا الوَرى الكلِّ زيفُ

my love is truly pure and full of clarity,

indeed, my love is sincere and pure,

while all the loves of humankind are counterfeit.

while all the loves of this world's people are counterfeit.