إِنّي لِما سُمتَ لَرَكّابُ

إِنّي لِما سُمتَ لَرَكّابُ

وَلِلَّذي تَمزُجُ شَرّابُ

وَلِلَّذي تَمزُجُ شَرّابُ

Indeed, I am ever ready to ride at your bidding,

Though they name you my companion

Indeed, I am ready to ride whatever burden you impose,

and eagerly drink whatever you mix,

And you who mixes my drink

And of whatever cup you mix, I am a willing drinker,

لا عائِفاً شَيئاً وَلَو شيبَ لي

لا عائِفاً شَيئاً وَلَو شيبَ لي

مِن يَدِكَ العَلقَمُ وَالصابُ

مِن يَدِكَ العَلقَمُ وَالصابُ

rejecting nothing, even if what was mixed for me

I don't blame you at all, even if grey hairs come to me

Rejecting nothing, even if there were blended for me,

by your hand were colocynth and bitter sap.

From your hands that punch and hit

By your own hand, the colocynth and bitterest gall.

ما حَطَّكَ الواشونَ عَن رُتبَةٍ

ما حَطَّكَ الواشونَ عَن رُتبَةٍ

عِندي وَلا ضَرَّكَ مُغتابُ

عِندي وَلا ضَرَّكَ مُغتابُ

The slanderers have not lowered your standing

The slanderers haven't lowered your status

The slanderers have not lowered you a single rank

in my eyes, nor has any backbiter harmed you.

In my eyes, nor has the criticizer harmed you

In my esteem, nor has a backbiter caused you harm.

كَأَنَّما أَثنَوا وَلَم يَشعُروا

كَأَنَّما أَثنَوا وَلَم يَشعُروا

عَلَيكَ عِندي بِالَّذي عابوا

عَلَيكَ عِندي بِالَّذي عابوا

It is as though, unknowingly, they praised

It's as if they praised without realizing

It is as if they offered praise, though unaware,

you to me for the very things they faulted.

The one they found fault with in me

Commending you to me through the very faults they blamed.

وَأَنتَ لي أَيضاً كَذا قُدوَةٌ

وَأَنتَ لي أَيضاً كَذا قُدوَةٌ

لَستُ بِشَيءٍ مِنكَ أَرتابُ

لَستُ بِشَيءٍ مِنكَ أَرتابُ

And you, too, are likewise an example to me;

And you too, are thus an example

For you remain, to me, a model of such trust,

I doubt nothing concerning you.

I'm not at all doubtful about you

That I view nothing coming from you with suspicion.

فَكَيفَ يُعيِينا التَلاقي وَما

فَكَيفَ يُعيِينا التَلاقي وَما

يَعدَمُنا شَوقٌ وَأَطرابُ

يَعدَمُنا شَوقٌ وَأَطرابُ

How, then, can meeting be beyond us, when

So how does meeting tire us when

How then can our meeting so elude us, when we

we lack neither longing nor rapture?

We are not lacking desire and agitation

Are not bereft of longing or the thrill of love?

كَأَنَّما أَنتَ وَإِن لَم تَكُن

كَأَنَّما أَنتَ وَإِن لَم تَكُن

تَكذُبُ في الميعادِ كَذّابُ

تَكذُبُ في الميعادِ كَذّابُ

It is as though you, even if you are not

It's as if you, even if you aren't

It is as though you are—even if not by nature

lying about the appointed time, are a habitual liar.

A liar regarding the appointment

False in your promises—a liar regarding our trysts.

إِن جِئتُ لَم تَأتِ وَإِن لَم أَجِئ

إِن جِئتُ لَم تَأتِ وَإِن لَم أَجِئ

جِئتَ فَهَذا مِنكَ لي دابُ

جِئتَ فَهَذا مِنكَ لي دابُ

If I come, you do not; and if I do not come,

If I come, you don't, and if I don't come

If I arrive, you do not come; yet if I do not come,

you come—such is your habit with me.

You come, so this is a habit of yours with me

You then appear; this has become your constant way with me.