القَلبُ قَد لجَّ فَما يُقصَرُ

القَلبُ قَد لجَّ فَما يُقصَرُ

وَالوَجدُ قَد جَلّ فَما يُستَرُ

وَالوَجدُ قَد جَلّ فَما يُستَرُ

The heart has grown obstinate and will not be restrained.

My heart has become afflicted so no more does it fall short

And passion has grown great and cannot be concealed.

My passion has become intense so no more can it be concealed

وَالدَمعُ جارٍ قَطرهُ وابِلٌ

وَالدَمعُ جارٍ قَطرهُ وابِلٌ

وَالجِسمُ بالٍ ثَوبُهُ أَصفَرُ

وَالجِسمُ بالٍ ثَوبُهُ أَصفَرُ

And tears flow, their drops a downpour.

My tears flow like heavy rain

And the body is wasted, its garment yellow.

My body has become frail, its robe has turned yellow

هَذا وَمَن أعشَقُهُ واصِلٌ

هَذا وَمَن أعشَقُهُ واصِلٌ

كَيفَ بِهِ لَو أَنَّهُ يَهجُر

كَيفَ بِهِ لَو أَنَّهُ يَهجُر

All this, though the one I love still maintains our bond.

Yet the one I love is faithful

How would it fare if he were to forsake me?

How could he be if he were to abandon me?

لَكِن عَدَتني نائِباتُ النَوى

لَكِن عَدَتني نائِباتُ النَوى

في دَوحِهِ وَالشادنُ الأَحوَرُ

في دَوحِهِ وَالشادنُ الأَحوَرُ

But the calamities of separation kept me away,

But the returning stars in their circle consoled me

While the dark-eyed fawn is in its grove,

And the bright moon in its horizon

وَالكَوكَبُ الوَقّاد تَحتَ الدُجى

وَالكَوكَبُ الوَقّاد تَحتَ الدُجى

في أُفقهِ وَالقَمَرُ الأَزهَرُ

في أُفقهِ وَالقَمَرُ الأَزهَرُ

And the blazing star beneath the darkness

And the fragrant narcissus after the dew in its meadow

Is in its sky, alongside the radiant moon,

And the orange mandal tree

وَالنَرجِسُ الفَوّاح غَبَّ النَدى

وَالنَرجِسُ الفَوّاح غَبَّ النَدى

في رَوضهِ وَالمَندَلُ الأَذفَرُ

في رَوضهِ وَالمَندَلُ الأَذفَرُ

And the fragrant narcissus after the dew

I was told about my condition

Is in its garden, with the richly scented aloeswood.

That I looked pale and my suspicion shows

قَد خُبِّرَت عَنّيَ أَنّي امرؤٌ

قَد خُبِّرَت عَنّيَ أَنّي امرؤٌ

فيهِ شُحوبٌ وَظَنّي يَظهَرُ

فيهِ شُحوبٌ وَظَنّي يَظهَرُ

She has been told of me that I am a man

So you showed sympathy for my state

Who is pale—and I think it shows.

Yet what you show is not what you hide

فَأَبدِتِ الاشفاقَ مِن حالَتي

فَأَبدِتِ الاشفاقَ مِن حالَتي

وَمِثلُ ما تُبديهِ ما تُضمرُ

وَمِثلُ ما تُبديهِ ما تُضمرُ

So she showed concern for my condition,

And asked if I was ill

And what she keeps within matches what she reveals.

Or burning with longing and desire

واِستفهمت إِن كُنتُ ذا علةٍ

واِستفهمت إِن كُنتُ ذا علةٍ

أَو ذا اِشتياقٍ نارُهُ تُسعَرُ

أَو ذا اِشتياقٍ نارُهُ تُسعَرُ

And she asked whether I had an illness,

My lady, you did not treat a lover fairly

Or a longing whose fire is kindled.

When you said what the informer told you

سيدتي لَم تُنصِفي عاشِقاً

سيدتي لَم تُنصِفي عاشِقاً

أَضحى كَما أَخَبرَكِ المُخبِرُ

أَضحى كَما أَخَبرَكِ المُخبِرُ

My lady, you have not been fair to a lover

Asking “Do you have some pain?

Who has become just as the informant told you,

Or a longing you cannot endure?”

إِذ قُلتُ هَل مِن أَلَمٍ طائِفٍ

إِذ قُلتُ هَل مِن أَلَمٍ طائِفٍ

ما بِكِ أَو شوقٌ فَما تَصبُرُ

ما بِكِ أَو شوقٌ فَما تَصبُرُ

When I said, 'Is it some passing pain

You wronged my love, known to both the absent and the present

That ails you, or longing that you cannot bear?'

By God, my only illness is love

ظَلَمتِ بالشك هَوايَ الَّذي

ظَلَمتِ بالشك هَوايَ الَّذي

يَعرِفُهُ الغُيّبُ وَالحَضَّرُ

يَعرِفُهُ الغُيّبُ وَالحَضَّرُ

You wronged, through doubt, my love, which

Every love is small beside it

Those absent and those present know.

It changed my body so know that

وَاللَهِ ما سُقميَ إِلّا هَوىً

وَاللَهِ ما سُقميَ إِلّا هَوىً

كُلَّ هَوىً في جَنبِهِ يَصغُرُ

كُلَّ هَوىً في جَنبِهِ يَصغُرُ

By God, my sickness is nothing but a love

I want to meet you but cannot

Beside which every love grows small.

So seek God’s forgiveness for wronging me

غيّرَ جِسمي فاِعلَمي أَنَّني

غيّرَ جِسمي فاِعلَمي أَنَّني

أَرومُ لُقياكِ وَلا أَقدِرُ

أَرومُ لُقياكِ وَلا أَقدِرُ

It has changed my body; know that I

For whoever does wrong will seek forgiveness

Seek to meet you, yet cannot.

فاِستَغفِري اللَهَ مِن الظلمِ لي

فاِستَغفِري اللَهَ مِن الظلمِ لي

فَإِنَّ مَن يَظلم يَستَغفِرُ

فَإِنَّ مَن يَظلم يَستَغفِرُ

So ask God to forgive your injustice to me,

For whoever does wrong seeks forgiveness.