وَجَدتُ ولا طِبٌّ لما أنَا واجدُ

وَجَدتُ ولا طِبٌّ لما أنَا واجدُ

فِها أنا نِضواً أشتكي البَثَّ والشَّجوا

فِها أنا نِضواً أشتكي البَثَّ والشَّجوا

I have felt passion, and there is no cure for what I feel.

I am stricken with longing, and there is no cure for what I feel.

Here I am, worn to a wraith, lamenting anguish and sorrow.

So here I am, wasted away, lamenting anguish and sorrow.

وَميضُ الهَوى في القَلب يُوجَدُ خَفقُه

وَميضُ الهَوى في القَلب يُوجَدُ خَفقُه

فَما لجِفُوني تَشتكي ألَمَ العَدوى

فَما لجِفُوني تَشتكي ألَمَ العَدوى

The flash of desire is in the heart; its throbbing can be felt.

The throbbing of love's flicker is felt within the heart;

Why, then, do my eyelids complain of the pain passed on to them?

why, then, do my eyelids complain of contagion's pain?

وَهَل نَافِعي رِيّ الجفونِ بِدَمعِها

وَهَل نَافِعي رِيّ الجفونِ بِدَمعِها

إذا كانَ ما بَينَ الجَوانِحِ لا يَروى

إذا كانَ ما بَينَ الجَوانِحِ لا يَروى

And can the watering of my eyelids with their tears avail me,

And will slaking my eyelids' thirst with their tears help me,

when what lies within my breast cannot have its thirst allayed?

when what lies between my ribs remains unquenched?

وَقَد ذُقتُ طَعمَ الحُبِّ بَدءاً وَعَودَةً

وَقَد ذُقتُ طَعمَ الحُبِّ بَدءاً وَعَودَةً

فلَم أدرِ هَل مُرَاً تَطَعَّمتُ أم حُلوا

فلَم أدرِ هَل مُرَاً تَطَعَّمتُ أم حُلوا

I have tasted love, at its first coming and upon its return,

And I have tasted the flavor of love, first and then again,

yet could not tell whether I tasted bitterness or sweetness.

yet I did not know whether I had tasted bitterness or sweetness.

وَعِيدُ فِراقٍ فيهِ للوَصلِ مَوعدٌ

وَعِيدُ فِراقٍ فيهِ للوَصلِ مَوعدٌ

فآونَةً سُكراً وآونَةً صَحوا

فآونَةً سُكراً وآونَةً صَحوا

A threat of parting that holds within it a promise of union—

A threat of parting bears within it a promise of union;

now drunkenness, and now sobriety.

so at times I am intoxicated, and at times sober.

وَقَفتُ بِبَابِ الحِبِّ وقفةَ حائرٍ

وَقَفتُ بِبَابِ الحِبِّ وقفةَ حائرٍ

يؤمِّمل ما يَهوى ويَحذَرُ مَن يَهوى

يؤمِّمل ما يَهوى ويَحذَرُ مَن يَهوى

I stood at the door of love, like one bewildered,

I stood at the beloved's door, like one bewildered,

hoping for what he desires, yet fearing the one he loves.

hoping for what he desires and fearing the one he loves.

وَهَبتُ لَهُ قَلبي وسَمعِي ونَاظِري

وَهَبتُ لَهُ قَلبي وسَمعِي ونَاظِري

عَسَى مُوجبُ الشَّكوى يُزيلُ من الشّكوى

عَسَى مُوجبُ الشَّكوى يُزيلُ من الشّكوى

I gave him my heart, my hearing, and my sight,

I gave him my heart, my hearing, and my eye;

perhaps the cause of my complaint will relieve some of my suffering.

perhaps the cause of my complaint will relieve some of it.

ودائعُ حُبِّي في الفُؤادِ مَصُونَةٌ

ودائعُ حُبِّي في الفُؤادِ مَصُونَةٌ

سِوى عَبرَةٍ تَهِمي على جَسَدٍ يذوى

سِوى عَبرَةٍ تَهِمي على جَسَدٍ يذوى

The treasures entrusted by my love are guarded in my heart,

The deposits of my love are safeguarded within the heart,

save for a tear streaming over a body that wastes away.

save for a tear that streams over a withering body.

وَفَاتي مُحِبّاً إن ظَفِرتُ بوَصلهِ

وَفَاتي مُحِبّاً إن ظَفِرتُ بوَصلهِ

ولي همّةٌ تَسمُو إلى الغَايَةِ القُصوى

ولي همّةٌ تَسمُو إلى الغَايَةِ القُصوى

I shall die a lover, if I attain union with him,

My death as a lover, if I win union with him—

for mine is an aspiration that soars toward the furthest goal.

and I have an aspiration that soars toward the furthest goal.

وَلَو أنَّه أومى إليَّ بِمِيتَةٍ

وَلَو أنَّه أومى إليَّ بِمِيتَةٍ

لبَادَرتُ نحوَ المَوتِ طَوعاً ولو حَبوَا

لبَادَرتُ نحوَ المَوتِ طَوعاً ولو حَبوَا

And if he were to beckon me toward death,

And even if he signaled to me a way to die,

I would hasten toward death willingly, even if I had to crawl.

I would hasten willingly toward death, even crawling.