ما الوابلُ الهتّانُ ان نفح الصّبا

ما الوابلُ الهتّانُ ان نفح الصّبا

من أرضكم لمدامعي بمضاهي

من أرضكم لمدامعي بمضاهي

No torrential downpour, if the east wind blows

What is this gentle breeze that blows

from your land, can rival my tears.

From your land to my tearful eyes?

صدُّوا فما للصّبر منّي موضعٌ

صدُّوا فما للصّبر منّي موضعٌ

ونأوا فليس الشّقُ بالمتناهي

ونأوا فليس الشّقُ بالمتناهي

They turned away, so patience has no place in me;

They turned away, and patience has no place for me,

and they went far away, so the rift has no end.

They avoided me, yet anguish knows no end.

واصلت من ألهي فُؤادي حُبّهم

واصلت من ألهي فُؤادي حُبّهم

فجفوا وصدُّوا عن سبيل

فجفوا وصدُّوا عن سبيل

I maintained ties with those whose love distracted my heart;

I have loved their hearts with a divine love,

then they grew cold and turned away from a path.

Yet they shunned and blocked my way.

لله بالشّطرنج بتُّ مُلاعبا

لله بالشّطرنج بتُّ مُلاعبا

لمهفهف في حًسنه مُنتاه

لمهفهف في حًسنه مُنتاه

By God, I spent the night playing chess

By God, I was but playing a game of chess

with a slender one, consummate in his beauty.

With a beauty whose charm has no limit.

أنا أشتهي يحيي الفؤاد برشفة

أنا أشتهي يحيي الفؤاد برشفة

من فيه وهو يُريدُ موت الشّاهي

من فيه وهو يُريدُ موت الشّاهي

I long for him to revive my heart with a sip

I yearn for a sip that would revive my heart -

from his mouth, while he wants the king’s death.

A sip from the lips of one who longs for my demise.