ولقد أقولُ لمن يسدِّدُ سهمَهُ

ولقد أقولُ لمن يسدِّدُ سهمَهُ

نحوي وأطرافُ المَنِيَّةِ شُرَّعُ

نحوي وأطرافُ المَنِيَّةِ شُرَّعُ

And indeed, I say to the one who aims his arrow

And I say to him who takes aim

Toward me, while the points of death are leveled,

Toward me, while the tips of death are unfurled,

والموتُ في لحظاتِ أخزرَ طرفُهُ

والموتُ في لحظاتِ أخزرَ طرفُهُ

دوني وقلبي دونَهُ يتقطَّعُ

دوني وقلبي دونَهُ يتقطَّعُ

And death lies in the glances of one whose gaze is sidelong

And death in the moments when its edge is most severe

Before me, while my heart is torn apart before him:

Is around me, and my heart beneath it is rend asunder-

باللّهِ فتِّشْ عن فؤاديَ أوّلاً

باللّهِ فتِّشْ عن فؤاديَ أوّلاً

هل فيه للسَّهمِ المُسَدَّدِ موضِعُ

هل فيه للسَّهمِ المُسَدَّدِ موضِعُ

By God, search my heart first:

By Allah, search first regarding my heart:

Is there room in it for the well-aimed arrow?

Is there in it a place for the aimed arrow to lodge?

أهوِنْ بهِ لو لم يكنْ في طَيِّهِ

أهوِنْ بهِ لو لم يكنْ في طَيِّهِ

عهدُ الحبيبِ وسرُّه المستودَعُ

عهدُ الحبيبِ وسرُّه المستودَعُ

How insignificant it would be, were there not within its folds

Is it cheapened if there were not in its folds

The beloved's pledge and his entrusted secret.

The covenant of the beloved and their secret repository?