يا كَثيرَ النَوحِ في الدِمَنِ

يا كَثيرَ النَوحِ في الدِمَنِ

لا عَلَيها بَل عَلى السَكَنِ

لا عَلَيها بَل عَلى السَكَنِ

O you who lament so much among the ruined campsites,

O you who wails so much amidst the ruins,

Not for them, but for those who dwelt there.

Do not weep for them, but for those who dwelt there.

سُنَّةُ العُشّاقِ واحِدَةٌ

سُنَّةُ العُشّاقِ واحِدَةٌ

فَإِذا أَحبَبتَ فَاِستَكِنِ

فَإِذا أَحبَبتَ فَاِستَكِنِ

The way of lovers is one and the same:

The way of lovers is a single path;

So when you fall in love, submit.

So when you love, submit and be humble.

ظَنَّ بي مَن قَد كَلِفتُ بِهِ

ظَنَّ بي مَن قَد كَلِفتُ بِهِ

فَهوَ يَجفوني عَلى الظِنَنِ

فَهوَ يَجفوني عَلى الظِنَنِ

The one I am enamored of has thought ill of me,

He with whom I am infatuated has thought ill of me,

So he shuns me because of suspicions.

And shuns me on the basis of suspicion.

باتَ لا يَعنيهِ ما لَقِيَت

باتَ لا يَعنيهِ ما لَقِيَت

عَينُ مَمنوعٍ مِنَ الوَسَنِ

عَينُ مَمنوعٍ مِنَ الوَسَنِ

He spent the night, caring nothing for what

He passed the night unconcerned by what was suffered

The eye of one denied slumber had suffered.

By the eye of one forbidden from sleep.

رَشَأٌ لَولا مَلاحَتُهُ

رَشَأٌ لَولا مَلاحَتُهُ

خَلَتِ الدُنيا مِنَ الفِتَنِ

خَلَتِ الدُنيا مِنَ الفِتَنِ

A young gazelle—were it not for his beauty,

A fawn—were it not for his dazzling charm,

The world would be free of temptations.

The world would have been devoid of temptation.

كُلَّ يَومٍ يَستَرِقُّ لَهُ

كُلَّ يَومٍ يَستَرِقُّ لَهُ

حُسنُهُ عَبداً بِلا ثَمَنِ

حُسنُهُ عَبداً بِلا ثَمَنِ

Each day, his beauty wins him

Every day, his beauty enslaves for him

A slave, without a price.

A servant, acquired without a price.

فَاِسقِني كَأساً عَلى عَذَلٍ

فَاِسقِني كَأساً عَلى عَذَلٍ

كَرِهَت مَسموعَهُ أُذُني

كَرِهَت مَسموعَهُ أُذُني

So give me a cup, despite the reproach

So pour me a cup, despite the censure

Whose sound my ear detests,

That my ear hates to hear.

مِن كُمَيتِ اللَونِ صافِيَةٍ

مِن كُمَيتِ اللَونِ صافِيَةٍ

خَيرِ ما سَلسَلتَ في بَدَنِ

خَيرِ ما سَلسَلتَ في بَدَنِ

Of clear, reddish-brown wine,

Of dark red vintage, pure and clear,

The finest you have let flow into a body.

The best that you have ever poured into a body.

ما اِستَقَرَّت في فُؤادِ فَتىً

ما اِستَقَرَّت في فُؤادِ فَتىً

فَدَرى ما لَوعَةُ الحَزَنِ

فَدَرى ما لَوعَةُ الحَزَنِ

Never does it settle in a young man's heart

It never settled in the heart of a youth

And leave him knowing the burning ache of grief.

And let him feel the burn of sorrow.

مُزِجَت مِن صَوبِ غادِيَةٍ

مُزِجَت مِن صَوبِ غادِيَةٍ

حَمَلَتها الريحُ مِن مُزُنِ

حَمَلَتها الريحُ مِن مُزُنِ

It was mixed with the rain of a morning cloud,

Tempered with the shower of a morning cloud,

Borne by the wind from rain-laden clouds.

Borne by the wind from rain-laden skies.

تَضحَكُ الدُنيا إِلى مَلِكٍ

تَضحَكُ الدُنيا إِلى مَلِكٍ

قامَ بِالأَحكامِ وَالسُنَنِ

قامَ بِالأَحكامِ وَالسُنَنِ

The world smiles upon a king

The world smiles upon a king

Who has upheld the laws and traditions.

Who has upheld the judgments and the laws.

يا أَمينَ اللَهِ عِش أَبَداً

يا أَمينَ اللَهِ عِش أَبَداً

فَإِذا أَفنَيتَنا فَكُنِ

فَإِذا أَفنَيتَنا فَكُنِ

O God's trustee, live forever,

O Trustee of God, live forever;

And when you have outlived us, live on.

And if we perish, may you remain.

كَيفَ تَسخو النَفسُ عَنكَ وَقَد

كَيفَ تَسخو النَفسُ عَنكَ وَقَد

قُمتَ بِالغالي مِنَ الثَمَنِ

قُمتَ بِالغالي مِنَ الثَمَنِ

How can the soul willingly part with you, when

How could the soul bear to part with you,

You have commanded so high a price?

When you have undertaken the highest of costs?

سَنَّ لِلناسِ النَدى فَنَدَوا

سَنَّ لِلناسِ النَدى فَنَدَوا

فَكَأَنَّ البُخلَ لَم يَكُنِ

فَكَأَنَّ البُخلَ لَم يَكُنِ

He made generosity the people's custom, and they gave freely,

He set the custom of bounty for the people, and they gave,

So it is as though miserliness had never existed.

As if miserliness had never existed.