أَلينُ فَيَقْسُو ثُمَّ أَرْضَى فَيحْقِدُ

أَلينُ فَيَقْسُو ثُمَّ أَرْضَى فَيحْقِدُ

وَأَشْكُو فَلا يُشْكَى وأَدْنُو فَيبْعِدُ

وَأَشْكُو فَلا يُشْكَى وأَدْنُو فَيبْعِدُ

I soften and he grows harsh; then I am content, and he bears a grudge.

He is gentle, then becomes harsh, satisfied, then resentful

And I complain, but find no relief; I draw near, and he draws away.

I complain, but none hear my plaint, draw near, but he pulls away

يَهزُّ قَواماً ناضِراً وَهْوَ ذَابِلٌ

يَهزُّ قَواماً ناضِراً وَهْوَ ذَابِلٌ

إِذَا ما تَثنَّى فَهْوَ في الحُسْنِ مُفْرَدُ

إِذَا ما تَثنَّى فَهْوَ في الحُسْنِ مُفْرَدُ

He sways a blooming figure, though he is languid.

Though slender and delicate, he sways with pride

When he bends and sways, he is peerless in beauty.

Bent with conceit, yet peerless in beauty

يَقُولُ لي الوَاشِي تَعَدَّ عَنِ الَّذي

يَقُولُ لي الوَاشِي تَعَدَّ عَنِ الَّذي

تَبيتُ بِهِ مُضْنَى الفُؤَادِ ويَرْقُدُ

تَبيتُ بِهِ مُضْنَى الفُؤَادِ ويَرْقُدُ

The talebearer tells me, 'Turn away from the one

The slanderers say I'm obsessed beyond reason

over whom you spend the night heartsick, while he sleeps.

With a love that consumes my heart and keeps me awake

وَدَعْ عَنْكَ ذِكْرَى مَنْ غَدَا لَكَ نَاسِياً

وَدَعْ عَنْكَ ذِكْرَى مَنْ غَدَا لَكَ نَاسِياً

مَلُولاً فَكَمْ فِي العَالمينَ مُحمَّدُ

مَلُولاً فَكَمْ فِي العَالمينَ مُحمَّدُ

And cast aside the memory of one who has grown forgetful of you,

Forget your longing for one who's forgotten you

and fickle—for how many Muhammads there are in the world!'

Though the world is full of Muhammads

فقلتُ اتَّئِدْ يا عاذِلي لَيْسَ في الوَرَى

فقلتُ اتَّئِدْ يا عاذِلي لَيْسَ في الوَرَى

يُرَى مِثْلُ مَنْ قَدْ هِمْتُ فيه ويُوجَدُ

يُرَى مِثْلُ مَنْ قَدْ هِمْتُ فيه ويُوجَدُ

So I said, 'Be patient, my reprover: among humankind there is none

I said, enough, you who find fault with me - none

seen or found like the one I have fallen madly in love with.

Can be found like the one I desire and seek

فَما كُلُّ زَهْرٍ يُنْبِتُ الرَّوْضُ طَيِّبٌ

فَما كُلُّ زَهْرٍ يُنْبِتُ الرَّوْضُ طَيِّبٌ

وَلا كُلُّ كُحْل للنَّواظِر إثْمِدُ

وَلا كُلُّ كُحْل للنَّواظِر إثْمِدُ

For not every flower the garden grows is fragrant,

Not every flower that grows in the garden is sweet

nor is every kohl for the eyes antimony.'

Nor all kohl pleasing to behold

وَزَوَّرُوا قَوْلَهُمْ وَمَا صَدَقُوا

وَزَوَّرُوا قَوْلَهُمْ وَمَا صَدَقُوا

في نَقْلِ شَيءٍ ضُرِّي به قَصَدُوا

في نَقْلِ شَيءٍ ضُرِّي به قَصَدُوا

And they fabricated their words, and were not truthful

They embellished their words, but spoke not the truth

in reporting a thing through which they meant me harm.

Seeking only to injure me with what they conveyed

حَاشَا لِمِثْلِ الأَميرِ يَسْمَعُ ما

حَاشَا لِمِثْلِ الأَميرِ يَسْمَعُ ما

قَالُوهُ عَنِّي وَمَا بِهِ شَهِدُوا

قَالُوهُ عَنِّي وَمَا بِهِ شَهِدُوا

Far be it from one like the emir to listen to what

Far be it from one such as the Prince to hear

they said about me and what they testified to.

What they said of me, and bear witness to their lies

ما لِي إلَّا بَيْتي أُقيمُ بِهِ

ما لِي إلَّا بَيْتي أُقيمُ بِهِ

فَلا يَرانِي مِنْ بَعْدِها أَحَدُ

فَلا يَرانِي مِنْ بَعْدِها أَحَدُ

I have only my house, where I shall stay,

I have but my house, where I'll stay

so no one shall see me after that.

So none will see me after this day

أَو أَنَّني أَحْرِفُ الفَيافي مِنْ

أَو أَنَّني أَحْرِفُ الفَيافي مِنْ

خَلْفِي وَلا يَسْتَقرُّ بِي بَلَدُ

خَلْفِي وَلا يَسْتَقرُّ بِي بَلَدُ

Or else I shall cast the wildernesses

Or I will roam the wilderness far from

behind me, and no land shall hold me still.

Any lands where I might settle

والأَرْضُ إِلّا دِمَشْقَ لِي وَطَنٌ

والأَرْضُ إِلّا دِمَشْقَ لِي وَطَنٌ

وَالنَّاسُ إِلّا الأَمير لِي سَنَدُ

وَالنَّاسُ إِلّا الأَمير لِي سَنَدُ

And the earth, except Damascus, is my homeland,

Damascus alone is home to me

and the people, except the emir, are my support.

And the Prince alone my pillar and support