لقد كنتُ أُعرَفُ بابنِ الحسَنْ

لقد كنتُ أُعرَفُ بابنِ الحسَنْ

فلقّبني العِشقُ بابن الحَزَنْ

فلقّبني العِشقُ بابن الحَزَنْ

I was indeed known as Ibn al-Hasan,

I used to be known as the son of Al-Hasan

So love nicknamed me Ibn al-Hazan—“son of sorrow.”

But love nicknamed me the son of sorrow

ولولا الهَوى ما لقيتُ الهوانَ

ولولا الهَوى ما لقيتُ الهوانَ

ولولا الدُّمى لم أقِف بالدِّمَنْ

ولولا الدُّمى لم أقِف بالدِّمَنْ

And were it not for passion, I would not have suffered humiliation,

If not for passion, I would not have faced disgrace

And were it not for statue-like beauties, I would not have stood at the ruined campsites.

And if not for tears, I would not have stood at the inn

نأى مَن أحبُّ فلي مَدمعٌ

نأى مَن أحبُّ فلي مَدمعٌ

كما انْتَثَر اللؤلؤ المُختزَنْ

كما انْتَثَر اللؤلؤ المُختزَنْ

The one I love has gone far away, so my tears fall

Whoever I loved went far away, so I have tears

Like hoarded pearls scattered loose.

Like scattered pearls once collected

ألا أيّها النفسُ لا تَيأسي

ألا أيّها النفسُ لا تَيأسي

من الاجتماعِ عسى الله أنْ

من الاجتماعِ عسى الله أنْ

Ah, O soul, do not despair

O soul, do not despair

Of reunion—perhaps God will...

Of reunion - perhaps God will grant it