سَأَركَبُ بَحرَ الهَوى مُقدِماً

سَأَركَبُ بَحرَ الهَوى مُقدِماً

فَأَمّا غِنائي وَإِمّا الغَرَقْ

فَأَمّا غِنائي وَإِمّا الغَرَقْ

I shall boldly sail the sea of love,

I will embark on the sea of passion,

So either riches for me, or drowning.

Either singing or drowning.

وَأَغيَدَ لَمّا دَجا عَتبُنا

وَأَغيَدَ لَمّا دَجا عَتبُنا

تَبَدّى عَلى الخَدِّ مِنهُ شَفَق

تَبَدّى عَلى الخَدِّ مِنهُ شَفَق

And a graceful youth—when our reproach grew dark,

When our reproach darkened,

A twilight glow appeared upon his cheek.

A sunset glow appeared on his cheek.

صَفا فَوقَ خَدَّيهِ خَمرُ الصِبا

صَفا فَوقَ خَدَّيهِ خَمرُ الصِبا

فَكانَ الحَبابُ عَلَيهِ العَرَق

فَكانَ الحَبابُ عَلَيهِ العَرَق

The wine of youth grew clear upon his cheeks,

The wine of youth was pure

So the bubbles upon it were sweat.

Above his cheeks, so that sweat was the bubbles upon it.

إِلى اللَهِ أَشكو فَكَم حادِثٍ

إِلى اللَهِ أَشكو فَكَم حادِثٍ

طَرا في هَواهُ وَخَطبٍ طَرَق

طَرا في هَواهُ وَخَطبٍ طَرَق

To God I complain—for many an affliction

To God I complain, for how many incidents

Has arisen in loving him, and many a calamity has come knocking—

Has he who loves flown into dangerous endeavors?

ضَعيفَينِ مِن جَفنِهِ وَالوِدادِ

ضَعيفَينِ مِن جَفنِهِ وَالوِدادِ

فَلَيتَ الضَعيفَ لِضَعفي يَرِق

فَلَيتَ الضَعيفَ لِضَعفي يَرِق

Of two weak things: his eyelid and affection;

Weak before his eyelids and love,

If only the weak one would pity my weakness!

If only the weak one would melt for my weakness!

وَصَعبَينِ مِن لَوعَتي وَالوِصالِ

وَصَعبَينِ مِن لَوعَتي وَالوِصالِ

فَلا تِلكَ هانَت وَلا ذا اِتَّفَق

فَلا تِلكَ هانَت وَلا ذا اِتَّفَق

And two hard things: my anguish and union;

And harsh before my agony and union,

So neither has the former eased, nor has the latter come to pass.

Neither has that softened, nor has this happened.

وَماءَينِ مِن وَجهِهِ وَالعُيونِ

وَماءَينِ مِن وَجهِهِ وَالعُيونِ

وَهَذا أَقامَ وَذاكَ اِندَفَق

وَهَذا أَقامَ وَذاكَ اِندَفَق

And two waters, from his face and the eyes;

And watery before his face and eyes,

And this remained, while that poured forth;

While this one stayed, that one poured forth.

وَنارَينِ في خَدِّهِ وَالقُلوبِ

وَنارَينِ في خَدِّهِ وَالقُلوبِ

سَناها لِغَيري وَعِندي الحُرَق

سَناها لِغَيري وَعِندي الحُرَق

And two fires, in his cheek and in hearts;

And fiery on his cheek and hearts,

Its radiance is for others; mine are the burning pains.

He kindled it for others, while I burn.