تَمَنَّيْتُ مِنْ وَصْلِ الحَبِيبِ اخْتِلاَسَةً

تَمَنَّيْتُ مِنْ وَصْلِ الحَبِيبِ اخْتِلاَسَةً

وَمَا كُلُّ نَفْسٍ أَدْرَكَتْ مَا تَمَنَّتِ

وَمَا كُلُّ نَفْسٍ أَدْرَكَتْ مَا تَمَنَّتِ

I longed to steal one fleeting moment of union with the beloved,

I wished for a stolen moment of union with the beloved,

but not every soul attains what it longs for.

But not every soul attained what it wished for.

تَخلَّيْتُ بِالتذْكَارِ وَهْوَ دَلاَلَةً

تَخلَّيْتُ بِالتذْكَارِ وَهْوَ دَلاَلَةً

عَلى زَفْرَةِ فِي أَضْلُعِي مُسْتَكِنَّةِ

عَلى زَفْرَةِ فِي أَضْلُعِي مُسْتَكِنَّةِ

I withdrew into remembrance, though remembrance is but a sign

I withdrew into remembrance, which is a sign

of a sigh lying hidden within my ribs.

Of a sigh hidden within my ribs.

تَعَجْبَ نَاسٌ لاِنْقِيَادِي مَعَ الهَوَى

تَعَجْبَ نَاسٌ لاِنْقِيَادِي مَعَ الهَوَى

كَذَاكَ عِنَاقُ الخَيْلِ طَوْعُ الأَعِنَّةِ

كَذَاكَ عِنَاقُ الخَيْلِ طَوْعُ الأَعِنَّةِ

People marveled at my submission to love;

People marveled at my yielding to love;

so too the necks of horses yield obediently to the reins.

So too the horses' necks submit to the reins.

تَبَدَّى لِيَ الحِبُّ الَّذي أَنَأ عَبْدُهُ

تَبَدَّى لِيَ الحِبُّ الَّذي أَنَأ عَبْدُهُ

فَحَنَّتْ لَهُ رُوحِي بمَا قَدْ أَجَنَّت

فَحَنَّتْ لَهُ رُوحِي بمَا قَدْ أَجَنَّت

The beloved whose servant I am appeared to me,

The beloved, whose slave I am, appeared to me;

and my soul yearned for him because of what it had concealed.

So my soul yearned for him with what it had concealed.

تَجَلَّى لِعَقْلِي دُونَ حِسيِّ فَأَذْعَنَتْ

تَجَلَّى لِعَقْلِي دُونَ حِسيِّ فَأَذْعَنَتْ

شَوَاهِدُ أَسْرَارِي لَهُ وَاطْمَأَنَّتِ

شَوَاهِدُ أَسْرَارِي لَهُ وَاطْمَأَنَّتِ

He revealed himself to my mind, beyond my senses; then

He revealed himself to my mind, not my senses, and they yielded—

the witnesses to my secrets submitted to him and found peace.

The witnesses of my secrets—to him, and found peace.

تَطَاوَلَ لَيْلِي بَعْدَهُ فَكَأَنَّمَا

تَطَاوَلَ لَيْلِي بَعْدَهُ فَكَأَنَّمَا

يُقَلَّبُ قَلْبِي مِنْهُ فَوْقَ الأَسِنَّةِ

يُقَلَّبُ قَلْبِي مِنْهُ فَوْقَ الأَسِنَّةِ

My night stretched long after his departure, as though

My night lengthened in his absence, as though

my heart, because of him, were being tossed upon spearheads.

My heart were being turned over upon spearheads because of him.

تَعَلَّلْتُ فِيهِ بِالتَّمَنِّي لِقُرْبِهِ

تَعَلَّلْتُ فِيهِ بِالتَّمَنِّي لِقُرْبِهِ

وَلَمْ يَبْقَ مِنِّي غَيْرُ تَرْدِيدِ أَنَّةِ

وَلَمْ يَبْقَ مِنِّي غَيْرُ تَرْدِيدِ أَنَّةِ

I consoled myself by dreaming that he might draw near,

I sought solace in him by wishing for his nearness,

until nothing remained of me but the repeating of a moan.

And nothing remained of me but the repetition of a moan.

تَغَيَّرَتِ الأَشْيَاءُ عِنْدِي لِفَقْدِهِ

تَغَيَّرَتِ الأَشْيَاءُ عِنْدِي لِفَقْدِهِ

فَضَوْءُ صَبَاحِي في ظَلاَمِ دُجُنَّةِ

فَضَوْءُ صَبَاحِي في ظَلاَمِ دُجُنَّةِ

All things were transformed for me by his absence:

Things changed for me because I lost him;

the light of my morning lies in the darkness of deepest gloom.

So my morning light lies in dense, dark gloom.

تُهِيجُ عَليَّ الشّوقَ كُلُّ مَرَدَّةٍ

تُهِيجُ عَليَّ الشّوقَ كُلُّ مَرَدَّةٍ

ويَهْدِي إليَّ الوَجْدَ كُلُّ مَرَنَّةِ

ويَهْدِي إليَّ الوَجْدَ كُلُّ مَرَنَّةِ

Every recurrence stirs longing against me,

Every echo stirs longing within me,

and every plaintive note brings rapture back to me.

And every ringing cry brings me love's anguish.

تَرَفَّقْ بِقَلْبِي في هَوَاكَ فَإِنَّمَا

تَرَفَّقْ بِقَلْبِي في هَوَاكَ فَإِنَّمَا

بُعَادُكَ نارِي وَاقْتِراَبُكَ جَنَّتِي

بُعَادُكَ نارِي وَاقْتِراَبُكَ جَنَّتِي

Be gentle with my heart in its love for you, for truly

Be gentle with my heart in its love for you, for indeed

your distance is my fire, and your nearness my paradise.

Your distance is my fire, and your nearness my paradise.