رِدُوا عَبرَةً تَهمِي كَما انهَمَلَ القَطرُ

رِدُوا عَبرَةً تَهمِي كَما انهَمَلَ القَطرُ

يُؤوِّرُها قَلبٌ كما التَهَبَ الجَمرُ

يُؤوِّرُها قَلبٌ كما التَهَبَ الجَمرُ

Come to a tear streaming as the rain poured down,

Come to a tear that streams as the rain pours down.

kindled by a heart as the embers blazed.

A heart kindles it as embers blaze.

رَأيتُ الهَوى مُرّاً عَلَى مَن يَذُوقُهُ

رَأيتُ الهَوى مُرّاً عَلَى مَن يَذُوقُهُ

فَمَطلَبُهُ صَعب ومَركَبُهُ وَعرُ

فَمَطلَبُهُ صَعب ومَركَبُهُ وَعرُ

I have found love bitter for whoever tastes it:

I found love bitter to whoever tastes it.

its pursuit is hard, and its path is rugged.

So seeking it is hard, and riding it is rough.

رَفَعتُ يَدي نَحوَ الحَبيبِ فَردَّها

رَفَعتُ يَدي نَحوَ الحَبيبِ فَردَّها

فَعُدتُ فَعادَ الجمرُ وافتُضِحَ السِّرُّ

فَعُدتُ فَعادَ الجمرُ وافتُضِحَ السِّرُّ

I reached my hand toward the beloved, but he turned it away;

I raised my hand toward the beloved, but he turned it away.

so I tried again—the ember flared anew, and the secret was exposed.

So I returned; the embers returned, and the secret was laid bare.

رَمَانِي بسَهمٍ مِن سِهامِ صُدُودِهِ

رَمَانِي بسَهمٍ مِن سِهامِ صُدُودِهِ

ولاَ هَدَفٌ إلاَّ التَّرائِبُ والنَّحرُ

ولاَ هَدَفٌ إلاَّ التَّرائِبُ والنَّحرُ

He shot me with an arrow from the shafts of his disdain,

He shot me with an arrow from the arrows of his rejection.

aimed nowhere but at my upper breast and throat.

And there was no target but the upper chest bones and the throat.

رِضَايَ رِضاهُ بانَ عَنيَ أو دنا

رِضَايَ رِضاهُ بانَ عَنيَ أو دنا

وَيحسُنُ باستحسَانِهِ الوَصلُ والهَجرُ

وَيحسُنُ باستحسَانِهِ الوَصلُ والهَجرُ

My pleasure is his pleasure, whether he leaves me or draws near;

My pleasure is his pleasure, whether he parts from me or draws near.

by his approval, both union and estrangement become fair.

And union and estrangement are fair when he approves of them.

رَكِبتُ جَموحَ الحُبِّ قَبلَ اختِبارِهِ

رَكِبتُ جَموحَ الحُبِّ قَبلَ اختِبارِهِ

فأذهَلَني عَن وَصفِ أخبَارهِ الخُبرُ

فأذهَلَني عَن وَصفِ أخبَارهِ الخُبرُ

I mounted love’s unruly steed before putting it to the test,

I rode love's unruly steed before testing it.

and firsthand experience left me too dazed to describe its reports.

So firsthand experience left me too dazed to describe its tales.

رَحِيقٌ إذا دَارَت عَلَى القَلبِكاسُهُ

رَحِيقٌ إذا دَارَت عَلَى القَلبِكاسُهُ

فَبَاطِنُهُ صَحوٌ وظَاهِرُهُ سُكرُ

فَبَاطِنُهُ صَحوٌ وظَاهِرُهُ سُكرُ

It is pure wine: when its cup circles the heart,

Pure wine—when its cup goes round the heart,

inwardly it is sobriety, outwardly intoxication.

Then its inward nature is sobriety, and its outward nature intoxication.

رَقِيبُ الهَوىَ لَم يُبقِ إلاّ صُبَابَةً

رَقِيبُ الهَوىَ لَم يُبقِ إلاّ صُبَابَةً

مِن الرُّوح تُزجِيها الجَوانحُ والصَّدرُ

مِن الرُّوح تُزجِيها الجَوانحُ والصَّدرُ

Love’s watchman has left no more than a last remnant

Love's watcher left nothing but a remnant

of the soul, driven onward by the ribs and breast.

Of the soul, which the ribs and chest drive onward.

رَهِينَةُ قَلبِي فِي يَدَيكَ وَدِيعَةٌ

رَهِينَةُ قَلبِي فِي يَدَيكَ وَدِيعَةٌ

وكَفِّيَ مِن قَلبِي ومِن حُبِّهِ صِفرُ

وكَفِّيَ مِن قَلبِي ومِن حُبِّهِ صِفرُ

My heart lies hostage in your hands, entrusted to your care,

My heart, held in pledge, is a trust in your hands.

while my palm is empty of my heart and of its love.

And my palm is empty of my heart and of its love.

رَجعتُ إلى الصَّبرِ الّذِي لا أطيقًهُ

رَجعتُ إلى الصَّبرِ الّذِي لا أطيقًهُ

عَلَآ أنَّ مِثلي لَيسَ يَخدَعُهُ الصَّبرُ

عَلَآ أنَّ مِثلي لَيسَ يَخدَعُهُ الصَّبرُ

I returned to the patience that I cannot endure,

I returned to patience, which I cannot bear,

though one such as I is not deceived by patience.

Though patience does not deceive one like me.