كتابي فديتك من مَرْعشِ

كتابي فديتك من مَرْعشِ

وخوف نوائبها مُرعشي

وخوف نوائبها مُرعشي

My letter—may I be your ransom—is from Marʿash;

My book, I ransom you from Mar'ash

And fear of its calamities makes me tremble.

And the fear of its adversities frightened me

وما مَرَّ في طُرْقها مُبصرٌ

وما مَرَّ في طُرْقها مُبصرٌ

صحيحٌ النّواظرِ إلاّ عَشي

صحيحٌ النّواظرِ إلاّ عَشي

And no sighted man has traveled its roads,

No one with clear sight has passed through its roads

With healthy eyes, without growing dim-sighted.

Except fearful at night

وما حلَّ في أَرضها آمنٌ

وما حلَّ في أَرضها آمنٌ

من الضَّيم والضُّرِّ إلاّ خَشِي

من الضَّيم والضُّرِّ إلاّ خَشِي

And no one has dwelt in its land secure

And no one has settled in its land securely

From oppression and harm without growing afraid.

From injustice and harm except anxiously

تُرنِّحنُي نشواتُ الغرام

تُرنِّحنُي نشواتُ الغرام

كأنّي من كأسهِ مُنتشي

كأنّي من كأسهِ مُنتشي

The raptures of passion make me reel,

The intoxications of passion make me sway

As though I were intoxicated by its cup.

As if I was drunk from its cup

أَبيتُ ونارُ الأسى مَضجعي

أَبيتُ ونارُ الأسى مَضجعي

وأُمسي وجمرُ الغضا مَفْرَشي

وأُمسي وجمرُ الغضا مَفْرَشي

I spend the night with sorrow's fire as my bed,

I spent the night with the fire of sorrow as my bedding

And at evening, ghada embers are my bedding.

And I woke with the embers of sadness as my mattress

وأُصبحُ ولهانَ وجداً بكمْ

وأُصبحُ ولهانَ وجداً بكمْ

كأنّي مصابٌ عليه غُشي

كأنّي مصابٌ عليه غُشي

And morning finds me distraught with longing for you,

And I start my day, crazy with love for you all

As though I were a stricken man overcome by a swoon.

As if I was struck down unconscious because of it

أُسرُّ وأُعلنُ بَرْحَ الجوى

أُسرُّ وأُعلنُ بَرْحَ الجوى

فقلبي يُسرُّ ودمعي يَشي

فقلبي يُسرُّ ودمعي يَشي

I conceal and reveal the torment of lovesickness;

I conceal and profess the torment of passion

For my heart conceals it, and my tears betray it.

So my heart conceals while my tears flow

وليليَ مِن طولِ ما أَشتكي

وليليَ مِن طولِ ما أَشتكي

كليلِ اللّديغِ من الحِرْبشِ

كليلِ اللّديغِ من الحِرْبشِ

And my night, through my long suffering,

My night is so long from all I complain

Is like the night of one bitten by a viper.

Like the night of one bitten by insects

وليس سوى ذكركُمْ مُؤنسي

وليس سوى ذكركُمْ مُؤنسي

ولكنَّ بعدكُمُ موحشي

ولكنَّ بعدكُمُ موحشي

And nothing but remembrance of you comforts me,

And nothing consoles me but your memory

Yet your absence leaves me desolate.

Though after you my life is desolate

بدلتُ لكم مُهجتي رشوةً

بدلتُ لكم مُهجتي رشوةً

فحاكمُ حُبِّكمُ مَرُتْشِ

فحاكمُ حُبِّكمُ مَرُتْشِ

I turned my lifeblood into a bribe for you;

I gave you my love as a bribe

So the judge of your love is a bribe-taker.

So the judge of your love would be bribed

وكيف إلى وصلكم أَهتدي

وكيف إلى وصلكم أَهتدي

وخطبُ فراقكمُ مُدهشي

وخطبُ فراقكمُ مُدهشي

And how can I find my way to union with you,

How can I be guided to your union

When the calamity of parting from you bewilders me?

When your separation leaves me confused

وكيف يلذُّ الكرى مُغْرَمٌ

وكيف يلذُّ الكرى مُغْرَمٌ

بنارِ الغرام حشاهُ حُشي

بنارِ الغرام حشاهُ حُشي

And how can a lovesick man savor sleep,

How can a passionate lover enjoy

Whose breast is filled with the fire of passion?

The fire of love that consumes him

بِمَرْعَشَ أَبغي وبَلُّوطها

بِمَرْعَشَ أَبغي وبَلُّوطها

مضاهاةَ جِلّقَ والمشمشِ

مضاهاةَ جِلّقَ والمشمشِ

In Marʿash and its acorns I seek

With Mar'ash I wish for its oak trees

A match for Jilliq and its apricots.

To compete with Jilq and apricot trees

وبالملكِ العادلِ استأنست

وبالملكِ العادلِ استأنست

نجاحاً مُنَى كلِّ مستوحشِ

نجاحاً مُنَى كلِّ مستوحشِ

And through the Just King came reassurance—

With the just king I found comfort

Of fulfillment for every lonely soul's hopes.

Success, wished for by every loner

وما في الأنامِ كريمٌ سواهُ

وما في الأنامِ كريمٌ سواهُ

فإنْ كنتَ تُنكرني فتشِ

فإنْ كنتَ تُنكرني فتشِ

And among humankind none is generous but he;

And among people there is no one noble but him

So if you disbelieve me, search!

If you doubt me, then search