ظَبيٌ عَلى ملك الجَمال اِستَحوَذا

ظَبيٌ عَلى ملك الجَمال اِستَحوَذا

فَاِبتَزَّ صَبري بِالنَفار وَأَنفَذا

فَاِبتَزَّ صَبري بِالنَفار وَأَنفَذا

A gazelle has seized the kingdom of beauty,

A wild animal controlled the king of beauty

so he stole my patience by shying away, and drained

So he took away my patience forcibly and chased it away

ما فيهِ مِن قَضو يَقول القَلب إِذ

ما فيهِ مِن قَضو يَقول القَلب إِذ

عايَنتُهُ بِاليت خَلقة ذا كَذا

عايَنتُهُ بِاليت خَلقة ذا كَذا

whatever [strength?] it held. The heart says, when

What is there in him, the heart says when

I behold him: '[Would that?] this one's form were thus!'

I looked at him whom He created like this

وَمُلخص الشَرح المُطَوَل كُل مَن

وَمُلخص الشَرح المُطَوَل كُل مَن

لاقاهُ راح مسبحاً وَمعوذا

لاقاهُ راح مسبحاً وَمعوذا

And the gist of this lengthy account: everyone who

And the summary of the long explanation is everyone

met him went away glorifying God and invoking protection.

Who saw him went away glorifying and seeking refuge

ذكراهُ تنعش مُهجَتي وَتُذيبَها

ذكراهُ تنعش مُهجَتي وَتُذيبَها

فَهِيَ التلاف لِمُهجَتي وَهِيَ الغِذا

فَهِيَ التلاف لِمُهجَتي وَهِيَ الغِذا

His memory revives my heart and melts it;

The thought of him revives my affection and melts it

so it is my heart's ruin, and its nourishment.

So it is the cure for my affection and it is the food

وَيَغيم طَرفي بِالدُموع إِذا بَدا

وَيَغيم طَرفي بِالدُموع إِذا بَدا

مَع أَنَّهُ يَجلو مِن المقل القَذا

مَع أَنَّهُ يَجلو مِن المقل القَذا

And my gaze clouds with tears whenever he appears,

And my eyelid clouds with tears when

although he clears the motes from the eyes.

Along with it clearing the rubbish of the mind

وَأَموت مِن عَطَشي إِلَيهِ وَقَد دَرى

وَأَموت مِن عَطَشي إِلَيهِ وَقَد دَرى

ماء الحَياة بِثَغرِهِ العَطر الشَذا

ماء الحَياة بِثَغرِهِ العَطر الشَذا

And I die of thirst for him, though he knows

And I die of thirst for him while he knew

the water of life is in his sweet-scented mouth.

The water of life through his moist fragrant mouth

لا تَنطَفي حَرق الجَوى إِلّا إِذا

لا تَنطَفي حَرق الجَوى إِلّا إِذا

قَبلتُهُ بَل إِن صدقت وَلا إِذا

قَبلتُهُ بَل إِن صدقت وَلا إِذا

Love's burning pangs are not quenched except when

The burning of passion is not extinguished unless

I kiss him—nay, if I speak truthfully, not even then.

I kiss him, rather even if I am truthful, not even if