بَانَ الخَيالُ وَإِنْ أَبَانَ نَزيلا

بَانَ الخَيالُ وَإِنْ أَبَانَ نَزيلا

وَسَرَى شَذاكَ وإِنْ مَنَعْتَ رَسُولا

وَسَرَى شَذاكَ وإِنْ مَنَعْتَ رَسُولا

The phantom departed, though it had appeared as a guest,

The imagination appeared, though it stayed briefly as a guest

And your fragrance traveled by night, though you barred a messenger.

And your love flowed, even if you denied the messenger

فَهَمَمتُ أَنْ أَجْفُو خَيالَكَ غيرةً

فَهَمَمتُ أَنْ أَجْفُو خَيالَكَ غيرةً

فَمَنحْتُه قُبَلاً لَهُ وَقُبُولا

فَمَنحْتُه قُبَلاً لَهُ وَقُبُولا

So I thought to shun your phantom out of jealousy,

So I wanted to spurn your imagination out of jealousy

Then bestowed kisses on it, and welcome.

And so I welcomed it, accepting and receiving it

وَحَفِظْتُ نِسْبَتَهُ إِلَيْكَ مَحبّةً

وَحَفِظْتُ نِسْبَتَهُ إِلَيْكَ مَحبّةً

مِنْ ظَنِّهِ أَنِّي أَرَاكَ بَدِيلا

مِنْ ظَنِّهِ أَنِّي أَرَاكَ بَدِيلا

And, out of love, I guarded its connection to you,

And kept its connection to you out of love

Lest it suppose that I see you as a substitute.

Thinking it saw you as a substitute for me

وَزَعَمتُ أَنَّ العَهْدَ لَيْسَ بِضَائِعٍ

وَزَعَمتُ أَنَّ العَهْدَ لَيْسَ بِضَائِعٍ

وَأَرى الصُّدُودَ لِضدِّ ذَاكَ دَلِيلا

وَأَرى الصُّدُودَ لِضدِّ ذَاكَ دَلِيلا

And I supposed that the pledge was not lost,

And I pretended the promise was not lost

Yet I see your aversion as proof of the opposite.

And saw obstacles as proof of the opposite

وَوَعدْتَنِي بِاللَّحْظِ مِنْكَ زِيادةً

وَوَعدْتَنِي بِاللَّحْظِ مِنْكَ زِيادةً

فَوَجدْتُ مِيعادَ العَلِيلِ عَلِيلا

فَوَجدْتُ مِيعادَ العَلِيلِ عَلِيلا

And with your glance you promised me more,

And you promised me an additional glance from you

So I found the ailing one's promise ailing.

But I found the meeting time of the sick to be sickly

للَّه عِيسُكَ يَوْمَ حَنَّتْ لِلنَّوى

للَّه عِيسُكَ يَوْمَ حَنَّتْ لِلنَّوى

لَمْ يُبْقِ مُطْلَقُها لَنَا مَعْقُولا

لَمْ يُبْقِ مُطْلَقُها لَنَا مَعْقُولا

How wondrous your white camels, the day they yearned for separation!

Oh Jesus, the day the spear pained for the sapling

Those of them set loose left us no mind still tethered.

It left nothing rational for us

بِنْتُمْ بِكُلّ حَمُولةٍ قَدْ أَوْدَعَتْ

بِنْتُمْ بِكُلّ حَمُولةٍ قَدْ أَوْدَعَتْ

قَلباً كَمَا شاءَ الغَرامُ حَمُولا

قَلباً كَمَا شاءَ الغَرامُ حَمُولا

You departed with every burden-bearing beast that had left behind

You have burdened every heart that love dictated

A heart, as passion willed, bearing burdens.

With all it could bear, as a burden

كَمْ لفظةٍ حَفَّتْ على الحادِي وَقَدْ

كَمْ لفظةٍ حَفَّتْ على الحادِي وَقَدْ

أَلْقَتْ جَوىً بينَ الضُّلوعِ ثَقِيلا

أَلْقَتْ جَوىً بينَ الضُّلوعِ ثَقِيلا

How many a word rustled over the camel-driver, yet

How many words have enveloped the lost one when

Cast heavy heartache between the ribs!

It cast heavy sighs between the ribs

يا هِنْدُ لَمْ تَتْرُكْ جُفونُكِ بالحِمَى

يا هِنْدُ لَمْ تَتْرُكْ جُفونُكِ بالحِمَى

إِلَّا جَريحاً مِنْكِ أَوْ مَقْتُولا

إِلَّا جَريحاً مِنْكِ أَوْ مَقْتُولا

O Hind, your eyelids left none in the sanctuary

Oh Hind, your eyelids did not spare anyone feverish

Except one wounded by you, or slain.

Except as wounded or killed by you

هَلْ أُوْدِعَتْ لأَبي المحاسِن يُوسُفٍ

هَلْ أُوْدِعَتْ لأَبي المحاسِن يُوسُفٍ

فِيهنَّ أَحكامٌ قُسِمْنَ فُصُولا

فِيهنَّ أَحكامٌ قُسِمْنَ فُصُولا

Have there been lodged for Abu al-Mahasin Yusuf

Were judgments portioned into chapters deposited

Within them judgments divided into sections?

In them for my father of beauty, Joseph