إِن لا تَزوري فَإِنَّ الطَيفَ قَد زارا

إِن لا تَزوري فَإِنَّ الطَيفَ قَد زارا

وَقَد قَضَيتُ لُباناتٍ وَأَوطارا

وَقَد قَضَيتُ لُباناتٍ وَأَوطارا

If you do not visit, your phantom has indeed visited,

If you do not visit, the specter did visit,

If you visit not, know that your phantom has arrived, / And I have satisfied my cravings and desires.

and I have fulfilled desires and wishes.

And I have spent nights and days.

She said, 'The night journey was long,' but I replied, / 'He who wrestles with longing finds no dwelling too remote.'

قالَت لَقَد بَعُدَ المَسرى فَقُلتُ لَها

قالَت لَقَد بَعُدَ المَسرى فَقُلتُ لَها

مَن عالَجَ الشَوقَ لا يَستَبعِدُ الدارا

مَن عالَجَ الشَوقَ لا يَستَبعِدُ الدارا

She said, “The night journey was long indeed.” I said to her,

She said the journey was long, I said to her,

She said, 'You have lied about my phantom.' I told her, / 'If so, O hidden jewel, may I become the vintner's foe,'

“Whoever has wrestled with longing deems no dwelling far.”

He who suffers from longing does not consider the house far.

'May I never again step foot toward his tavern, / Nor toss him coins for him to choose the vintage,'

قالَت كَذَبتَ عَلى طَيفي فَقُلتُ لَها

قالَت كَذَبتَ عَلى طَيفي فَقُلتُ لَها

إِذَن فَعادَيتُ يا مَكنونُ خَمّارا

إِذَن فَعادَيتُ يا مَكنونُ خَمّارا

She said, “You have lied about my phantom.” I said to her,

She said you lied to my specter, I said to her

'Nor feel the vessel's lip pressed close against my own, / Like the closing of your eyes, lash meeting lash.'

“Then, O Maknun, may I become a wine-seller's enemy,

So I made an enemy of you, O veiled wine-seller.

She said, 'You have sworn an oath beyond atonement; / Do you not fear God's threat and the Fire?'

وَلا نَقَلتُ إِلى حانوتِهِ قَدَماً

وَلا نَقَلتُ إِلى حانوتِهِ قَدَماً

وَلا نَبَذتُ إِلَيهِ النَقدَ فَاِختارا

وَلا نَبَذتُ إِلَيهِ النَقدَ فَاِختارا

and never set foot in his shop,

I neither carried my feet to his shop,

nor toss him ready money and let him take his pick,

Nor threw coins at him to choose.

وَلا رَأى شَفَةً مِنهُ عَلى شَفَتي

وَلا رَأى شَفَةً مِنهُ عَلى شَفَتي

إِطباقَ عَينَيكِ بِالأَشفارِ أَشفارا

إِطباقَ عَينَيكِ بِالأَشفارِ أَشفارا

nor may he see his lip pressed to mine,

Nor did any lip of his see contact

as your eyes close, lash against lash.”

With your eyelashes’ shuttering lashes.

قالَت حَلَفتَ يَميناً لا كَفاءَ لَها

قالَت حَلَفتَ يَميناً لا كَفاءَ لَها

أَما تَخافُ وَعيدَ اللَهِ وَالنارا

أَما تَخافُ وَعيدَ اللَهِ وَالنارا

She said, “You have sworn an oath without equal.

She swore an oath beyond all cost:

Do you not fear God's threat and the Fire?”

“Do you not fear God’s threat and hellfire?”