أرى الحُبَّ لا يَبلى ولكنَّه يُبلي

أرى الحُبَّ لا يَبلى ولكنَّه يُبلي

فلا قُربُه يشفي ولا بُعدُه يُسلي

فلا قُربُه يشفي ولا بُعدُه يُسلي

I see that love does not wear away—yet it wears one away;

I see that love does not wear out, but it wears one out.

neither its nearness heals, nor its distance consoles.

So neither its nearness heals me nor its distance consoles me.

حَلاوتُه ممزوجةٌ بمَرارةٍ

حَلاوتُه ممزوجةٌ بمَرارةٍ

ففيه جَنى الدِّفلى وفيه جَنى النَّحل

ففيه جَنى الدِّفلى وفيه جَنى النَّحل

Its sweetness is mingled with bitterness:

Its sweetness is mingled with bitterness.

in it is the yield of oleander, and in it the harvest of bees.

For in it is oleander's fruit, and in it the bees' honey.

أموت وأحيا بين سخطك والرضى

أموت وأحيا بين سخطك والرضى

تُرى هكذا كان المحبُّونَ من قبلي

تُرى هكذا كان المحبُّونَ من قبلي

I die and live between your anger and your favor—

I die and live between your displeasure and your favor.

were lovers before me like this, I wonder?

I wonder: were lovers before me like this?

أعيش إذا أحييتَني بتعطُّفٍ

أعيش إذا أحييتَني بتعطُّفٍ

وتُقبض روحي بانقباضك عن وصلي

وتُقبض روحي بانقباضك عن وصلي

I live when you give me life through tenderness,

I live when you give me life with tenderness.

and my soul is taken when you withdraw from union with me.

And my soul is taken by your withdrawal from union with me.

فإن شئتَ أن أحيا فجُد بتواصُلٍ

فإن شئتَ أن أحيا فجُد بتواصُلٍ

وإن شئتَ فاهجر إن عزمتَ على قتلي

وإن شئتَ فاهجر إن عزمتَ على قتلي

If you wish me to live, then generously keep in touch;

So if you wish me to live, generously grant me continued union.

and if you wish, forsake me—if you are resolved to kill me.

And if you wish, forsake me, if you are resolved to kill me.

أراك فأسعى ذاهلَ العقل شاخصاً

أراك فأسعى ذاهلَ العقل شاخصاً

وأُبهَتُ حتى لا أُمِرَّ ولا أُحلي

وأُبهَتُ حتى لا أُمِرَّ ولا أُحلي

I see you and hasten on, my mind bewildered, my gaze fixed,

I see you and hasten, my mind bewildered, my gaze fixed.

and I am struck dumb, unable to utter bitter or sweet.

And I am so dumbfounded that I utter nothing bitter or sweet.

فيا ويلتي هَبني غُلِبتُ على المنى

فيا ويلتي هَبني غُلِبتُ على المنى

برغمي فمالي قد غُلِبتُ على عقلي

برغمي فمالي قد غُلِبتُ على عقلي

Ah, woe is me! Grant that longing has mastered me

Ah, woe is me! Grant that I have been thwarted in my wishes,

against my will—but why has it mastered my reason too?

Against my will—why, then, have I been robbed of my reason?

أرى لك في لُبس القَبَاء لَباقةً

أرى لك في لُبس القَبَاء لَباقةً

كأنك قد أُفرِغتَ في قالب الشَّكلِ

كأنك قد أُفرِغتَ في قالب الشَّكلِ

I see a graceful elegance in the way you wear the qabāʾ,

I see a grace in the way you wear the qaba coat,

as though you had been poured into the very mold of beauty.

As though you had been poured into the mold of shapeliness.

بحقِّ المَلاحات التي فيك عُد بنا

بحقِّ المَلاحات التي فيك عُد بنا

إلى العادة الحسنى من القول والفعل

إلى العادة الحسنى من القول والفعل

By all the graces within you, return us

By the charms within you, bring us back

to the fair old way, in word and deed.

To the gracious ways of word and deed.

فإن كنتَ غضباناً فعندي لك الرضا

فإن كنتَ غضباناً فعندي لك الرضا

وإن كان لي ذنبٌ فجُد أنت بالفضلِ

وإن كان لي ذنبٌ فجُد أنت بالفضلِ

If you are angry, I meet you with goodwill;

So if you are angry, I have what will please you;

and if I have sinned, then you—be generous with grace.

And if I have done wrong, then generously grant me grace.