ذَكَرَ المُشْتاقُ عَهْداً قَد مَضَى

ذَكَرَ المُشْتاقُ عَهْداً قَد مَضَى

بَارِقٌ مِن نَحْوِ نَجْدٍ أَوْمَضَا

بَارِقٌ مِن نَحْوِ نَجْدٍ أَوْمَضَا

The yearning lover recalled a time long past;

The yearning lover recalled a time gone by;

a lightning flash gleamed from the quarter of Najd,

A flash of lightning gleamed from the direction of Najd.

وَنَسيمٌ شَبَّ نِيرانَ الجَوَى

وَنَسيمٌ شَبَّ نِيرانَ الجَوَى

في حَشَاهُ بَعْدَ جِيْرانِ الغَضَا

في حَشَاهُ بَعْدَ جِيْرانِ الغَضَا

and a breeze kindled the fires of consuming love

And a breeze kindled the fires of longing

within his breast, after the neighbors of the ghaḍā trees.

In his breast, after the neighbors of the ghada trees had gone.

وأَخُو الوَجْدِ بِمُعتلِّ الصَّبا

وأَخُو الوَجْدِ بِمُعتلِّ الصَّبا

رُبَّما اسْتشفَى فَزادَ المَرَضَا

رُبَّما اسْتشفَى فَزادَ المَرَضَا

And the man of passion, amid the east wind’s turmoil,

And passion's companion, through the ailing east wind,

may seek a cure, only for it to worsen the sickness.

Sometimes sought healing, only to worsen his illness.

والهَوَى العُذْرِيُّ عُذْرٌ فَسِحٌ

والهَوَى العُذْرِيُّ عُذْرٌ فَسِحٌ

يَتلقَّى كُلَّ شيءٍ بِالرِّضا

يَتلقَّى كُلَّ شيءٍ بِالرِّضا

Chaste ʿUdhri love is ample excuse;

And chaste love is an ample excuse;

it meets everything with contented acceptance.

It meets everything with contentment.