نقَضتُ عُرىَ صَبرِي وَأَبرَمتُ ضِدَّها

نقَضتُ عُرىَ صَبرِي وَأَبرَمتُ ضِدَّها

فَها أَنا في الحالَينِ مُكتَئِبٌ مُضنَى

فَها أَنا في الحالَينِ مُكتَئِبٌ مُضنَى

I have undone the bonds of my patience and fastened their opposite.

I unraveled the bonds of my patience and bound fast their opposite.

Here I am, in both states, sorrowful and worn away.

So here I am, in both states, dejected and worn down.

نَحِيلٌ يُعنِّيني العِيانُ إذا بَدا

نَحِيلٌ يُعنِّيني العِيانُ إذا بَدا

صَبَاحاً ويُشجِيني الحَمامُ إذا غَنَّى

صَبَاحاً ويُشجِيني الحَمامُ إذا غَنَّى

Emaciated—the sight torments me whenever it appears,

I am gaunt; the sight torments me when it appears

at morning, and the doves grieve me whenever they sing.

In the morning; and the doves sadden me when they sing.

نَفَيتُ سِواهُ إذ عَلِمتُ ثُبوتَهُ

نَفَيتُ سِواهُ إذ عَلِمتُ ثُبوتَهُ

ومُعتَقَدُ التَّوحيدِ يَبقَى وَقَد أفنى

ومُعتَقَدُ التَّوحيدِ يَبقَى وَقَد أفنى

I denied all save Him once I knew His reality,

I denied all but him when I knew his existence to be certain.

and the creed of divine unity remains, though it has wrought annihilation.

And belief in oneness endures, though I may perish.

نِدِائي إِلَيهِ صَاعِدٌ كُلَّ سَاعَةٍ

نِدِائي إِلَيهِ صَاعِدٌ كُلَّ سَاعَةٍ

وإن كُنتُ لم أشعُر لِحاظاً ولا أُذنا

وإن كُنتُ لم أشعُر لِحاظاً ولا أُذنا

My call to Him rises every hour,

My call to him ascends every hour,

though I perceived it neither by eye nor ear.

Though I have sensed neither gaze nor ear.

نَهاري وَلَيلي جنَّتان بِذكرهِ

نَهاري وَلَيلي جنَّتان بِذكرهِ

فها أنَا مِن حُسنى نُقِلتُ إلى حُسنى

فها أنَا مِن حُسنى نُقِلتُ إلى حُسنى

My day and my night are two gardens through remembrance of Him;

My day and my night are two gardens through remembrance of him.

here I am, transported from one beauty to another.

So here I am, carried from one blessed state to another.

نأيتَ فَلم أطِبق على سَلوَةٍ حَشىً

نأيتَ فَلم أطِبق على سَلوَةٍ حَشىً

صَدَدتَ فلم أُغمِض على سِنَةٍ جَفنا

صَدَدتَ فلم أُغمِض على سِنَةٍ جَفنا

You went far away, and my heart could not embrace consolation;

You went far away, and I could not close my heart upon solace.

you turned away, and I could not close an eyelid upon slumber.

You turned away, and I could not close an eyelid in drowsiness.

نَقَلتُكَ مِن عَينَي لِقَلبِيَ غَيرَةً

نَقَلتُكَ مِن عَينَي لِقَلبِيَ غَيرَةً

فأنتَ مَحَلُّ الرُّوحِ مِنّيَ أو أدنى

فأنتَ مَحَلُّ الرُّوحِ مِنّيَ أو أدنى

Jealously, I moved you from my eyes into my heart,

I moved you from my eyes into my heart, out of jealousy.

for you are the dwelling place of my soul within me—or nearer still.

So you hold the soul's place within me, or nearer still.

نَعيمٌ مُقِيمٌ لَمحَةً إن بَذلتَها

نَعيمٌ مُقِيمٌ لَمحَةً إن بَذلتَها

وعَبدُكَ يا مَولايَ يَرتَقِبُ الإِذنا

وعَبدُكَ يا مَولايَ يَرتَقِبُ الإِذنا

A single glance, if you grant it, is everlasting bliss,

One glance, if you grant it, is abiding bliss.

and your servant, my Master, awaits permission.

And your servant, O my lord, awaits permission.

نَصيبُ الورَى في الحُبِّ لَفظٌ مُجَرَدٌ

نَصيبُ الورَى في الحُبِّ لَفظٌ مُجَرَدٌ

وقلبي ولا فَخرٌ لهُ اللَّفظُ والمعنى

وقلبي ولا فَخرٌ لهُ اللَّفظُ والمعنى

The share of humankind in love is a mere word,

Humankind's share in love is a bare word,

but my heart—without boasting—possesses both the word and the meaning.

And my heart—without boasting—has both the word and the meaning.