غَلا الحُبُّ فابذُل فيهِ نَفسَكَ طَائعاً

غَلا الحُبُّ فابذُل فيهِ نَفسَكَ طَائعاً

لَعَلَّكَ إن يمَّمتَ حِبَّكَ تَبلغ

لَعَلَّكَ إن يمَّمتَ حِبَّكَ تَبلغ

Love commands a dear price—so offer your very self to it willingly.

Love has grown costly; willingly give yourself for it.

Perhaps, if you set your course toward your beloved, you may arrive.

Perhaps, if you turn toward your beloved, you will reach him.

غليلُ الأسَى عَمَّا أُكِنُّ مُتَرجِمٌ

غليلُ الأسَى عَمَّا أُكِنُّ مُتَرجِمٌ

وإنَّ لِسَانَ الحَالِ أمضَى وأبلَغُ

وإنَّ لِسَانَ الحَالِ أمضَى وأبلَغُ

The burning ache of sorrow interprets what I conceal;

The burning ache of sorrow gives voice to what I conceal,

Indeed, the tongue of one’s condition is more piercing, more eloquent.

and indeed, the tongue of one's state is sharper and more eloquent.

غَلِطتُ وقَد عَرَّضتُ قَلبِي للهَوى

غَلِطتُ وقَد عَرَّضتُ قَلبِي للهَوى

فأصبَحَ مِن كُُلِّ الجَوانبِ يُلدغُ

فأصبَحَ مِن كُُلِّ الجَوانبِ يُلدغُ

I erred when I laid my heart bare to passion—for then

I erred, having exposed my heart to passion,

It came to be stung from every side.

so it is now stung from every side.

غَريقُ جُفونٍ أو حَريقُ جَوانحٍ

غَريقُ جُفونٍ أو حَريقُ جَوانحٍ

فَها أنَالاَ انفَكُّ أُضحِي وأنشَغُ

فَها أنَالاَ انفَكُّ أُضحِي وأنشَغُ

Drowned beneath eyelids, or ablaze within the breast—

With eyelids drowned or ribs aflame—

Here I am, forever passing my days choking on sobs.

so here I am, never ceasing to spend my days sobbing.

غَفَوتُ لَعَلِّي أن أرَى مَن أُحِبُّهُ

غَفَوتُ لَعَلِّي أن أرَى مَن أُحِبُّهُ

وأينَ الكَرَى مِن سَاهرٍ يتمَرَّغُ

وأينَ الكَرَى مِن سَاهرٍ يتمَرَّغُ

I dozed, hoping I might see the one I love;

I dozed, hoping to see the one I love,

But how can slumber come to a wakeful man who writhes?

but where is slumber for one who lies awake, tossing and turning?

غَضَضتُ جُفونِي عَن سِواكَ لأنَّني

غَضَضتُ جُفونِي عَن سِواكَ لأنَّني

رَأيتُ فُؤادِي مِنكَ لا يتفرَّغُ

رَأيتُ فُؤادِي مِنكَ لا يتفرَّغُ

I shut my eyes to everyone but you, because

I lowered my eyelids to all but you, for I

I saw that my heart could never free itself of you.

saw that my heart is never free of you.

غَلبتَ عَلِى قَلبي وسَمعِي ونَاظِري

غَلبتَ عَلِى قَلبي وسَمعِي ونَاظِري

فَحُكمُكَ في سِرِّي وجَهرِي يُسَوَّغُ

فَحُكمُكَ في سِرِّي وجَهرِي يُسَوَّغُ

You have mastered my heart, my hearing, and my sight;

You have conquered my heart, my hearing, and my eye,

So your rule over all I hide and all I show is welcome.

so your rule over my inward and outward life is rightful.

غَنِيمَةُ أهلِ الحُبِّ سُهدٌ ومَدمَعٌ

غَنِيمَةُ أهلِ الحُبِّ سُهدٌ ومَدمَعٌ

كذاكَ هِلالُ الحُبِّ في القَلبِ يَنزغُ

كذاكَ هِلالُ الحُبِّ في القَلبِ يَنزغُ

The lovers’ spoils are sleeplessness and tears;

The lovers' spoils are sleeplessness and a tearful eye;

Thus love’s crescent, within the heart, goads it on.

thus love's crescent pricks the heart.

غِياباتُ قَلبِي للمحبَّةِ مَطلَعٌ

غِياباتُ قَلبِي للمحبَّةِ مَطلَعٌ

ولا شَكَّ أنَّ الصَّابَ بالرَّغمِ يُمضَغُ

ولا شَكَّ أنَّ الصَّابَ بالرَّغمِ يُمضَغُ

The dark recesses of my heart are love’s place of rising;

My heart's hidden depths are love's rising-place,

And surely bitter ṣāb is chewed against one’s will.

and surely bitter sap is chewed against one's will.

غَريبُ الهَوى فِي راحَتَيهِ كتابُهُ

غَريبُ الهَوى فِي راحَتَيهِ كتابُهُ

وَلكِنَّهُ قَلَّ الأمِينُ المُبَلِّغُ

وَلكِنَّهُ قَلَّ الأمِينُ المُبَلِّغُ

Love’s exile holds his letter in both palms,

Love's exile holds his letter in both palms,

But rare indeed is the faithful messenger who will deliver it.

but trustworthy messengers are scarce for him.