يَدِي لَكَ رَهنٌ بالمحبَّةِ والرِّضا

يَدِي لَكَ رَهنٌ بالمحبَّةِ والرِّضا

فَلاَ تَتَّهِمنِي بَعدَ نَشريَ بالطَّيِّ

فَلاَ تَتَّهِمنِي بَعدَ نَشريَ بالطَّيِّ

My hand is pledged to you in love and contentment;

My hand is pledged to you in love and contentment.

so do not accuse me, after I have unfolded, of folding myself away.

So do not accuse me of folding away what I have unfolded.

يَنابيعُ أجفَاني تَفِيضُ مَحَبَّةً

يَنابيعُ أجفَاني تَفِيضُ مَحَبَّةً

عَلَيكَ وَمَا بي مِن سَبيلٍ إلى الرِّيِّ

عَلَيكَ وَمَا بي مِن سَبيلٍ إلى الرِّيِّ

The springs of my eyelids overflow with love

The springs of my eyelids overflow with love

for you, yet I have no way to quench my thirst.

Upon you, yet I have no way to quench my thirst.

يُكَلٍِّفُني قَلبي تَحَمُّلَ عِبئِهِ

يُكَلٍِّفُني قَلبي تَحَمُّلَ عِبئِهِ

ومَنَ ذَا الَّذي يَقوَى عَلى الخَفقِ والحَيِّ

ومَنَ ذَا الَّذي يَقوَى عَلى الخَفقِ والحَيِّ

My heart charges me with bearing its burden;

My heart charges me with bearing its burden;

and who can bear its pounding—and remain alive?

And who can withstand the throbbing and wringing?

يُقَرِّبُ أهلُ الحَجِّ قُربَانَ هَديِهِم

يُقَرِّبُ أهلُ الحَجِّ قُربَانَ هَديِهِم

وَمَاليَ فِي حُبّي سِوى القَلبِ مِن هَديِ

وَمَاليَ فِي حُبّي سِوى القَلبِ مِن هَديِ

Pilgrims bring forward their sacrificial beasts as offerings,

The pilgrims offer up their sacrificial animals,

but in my love I have no sacrificial gift but my heart.

And in my love I have no offering but my heart.

يُناديكَ مَن نَادِيك مَطمَعُ طَرفِه

يُناديكَ مَن نَادِيك مَطمَعُ طَرفِه

نَداءَ عَليلٍ يَطلُبُ الأريَ في الشَّريِ

نَداءَ عَليلٍ يَطلُبُ الأريَ في الشَّريِ

He whose gaze covets your gathering calls out to you,

He whose gaze longs for your gathering calls to you

like a sick man’s cry, seeking honey in bitter colocynth.

With a sick man's cry, seeking honey in bitter colocynth.

يَصُونُ عَن الأغيارِ سِرَّكَ غَيرَةً

يَصُونُ عَن الأغيارِ سِرَّكَ غَيرَةً

على أنَّ سِرَّ الحُبِّ يُعرَفُ فِي الزِّي

على أنَّ سِرَّ الحُبِّ يُعرَفُ فِي الزِّي

Jealously he guards your secret from all others,

He jealously guards your secret from outsiders,

although love’s secret is recognized in its outward guise.

Though love's secret is recognized in one's outward appearance.

يَموتُ وَيَحيَا لَوعَةً وَطَماعَةً

يَموتُ وَيَحيَا لَوعَةً وَطَماعَةً

وما الحِبُّ إلاَّ مِن يُميتُ ومَن يُحيي

وما الحِبُّ إلاَّ مِن يُميتُ ومَن يُحيي

He dies and lives again in anguish and desire;

He dies of anguish and lives on hope,

love is none other than one who brings death and gives life.

And the beloved is none but the one who kills and gives life.

يَقُولُونَ مَا تَشكُو فَأجحَدُ حِشمةً

يَقُولُونَ مَا تَشكُو فَأجحَدُ حِشمةً

وَقَد يُفهَمًُ الإثباتُ مِن صِيغَةِ النَّفيِ

وَقَد يُفهَمًُ الإثباتُ مِن صِيغَةِ النَّفيِ

They ask, “What ails you?” I deny it out of modest reserve;

They ask, "What ails you?" and I deny it out of modesty,

yet affirmation may be understood from the very form of denial.

Yet affirmation may be understood from the form of denial.

يَهابُكَ هَذا القَلبُ أضعافَ حُبِّهِ

يَهابُكَ هَذا القَلبُ أضعافَ حُبِّهِ

فَيَبسطُ كَفَّيهِ إليكَ ويَستَحيي

فَيَبسطُ كَفَّيهِ إليكَ ويَستَحيي

This heart fears you many times more than it loves you;

This heart fears you many times more than it loves you,

it holds out both palms to you, then grows shy.

So it stretches both palms toward you, yet feels shy.

يعللّ بالسُّلوانِ بَعدَكَ نَفسَهُ

يعللّ بالسُّلوانِ بَعدَكَ نَفسَهُ

وهَيهاتَ ما في الحَيَّ بَعدَكَ مِن حَيٍّ

وهَيهاتَ ما في الحَيَّ بَعدَكَ مِن حَيٍّ

After you, it consoles itself with the thought of forgetting;

It soothes itself with forgetfulness after your departure,

but how impossible! After you, no living soul remains in the encampment.

But in vain! No living soul remains in the camp after you.