سَقْياً لِطَيْفِ خَيَالٍ زارَني جَزِعاً

سَقْياً لِطَيْفِ خَيَالٍ زارَني جَزِعاً

يَسْتَقْبِلُ اليَأْس مِنْهُ بالرَّجا طَمَعا

يَسْتَقْبِلُ اليَأْس مِنْهُ بالرَّجا طَمَعا

May rain bless a dream-phantom that visited me in anguish,

A drink for the specter of a phantom who visited me in sorrow

Meeting the despair it brought with hope, out of longing.

Meeting despair with hope and eager expectation

حَتَّى إِذا بَذَلَ المَوْعودَ مِنْ صِلَتي

حَتَّى إِذا بَذَلَ المَوْعودَ مِنْ صِلَتي

وَخافَ مِنْ مَلَلي إِذْ قَالَ لِي وَلعا

وَخافَ مِنْ مَلَلي إِذْ قَالَ لِي وَلعا

Until, when it granted the promised union with me,

Until when he fulfilled his promised affection

And feared I would tire, it said to me passionately:

And feared my boredom when he passionately said to me

لا تَطْمَعَنَّ بِغَيْرِ الوَعْدِ مِنْ صِلَتي

لا تَطْمَعَنَّ بِغَيْرِ الوَعْدِ مِنْ صِلَتي

أَحَبُّ شَيْءٍ إِلى الإِنْسانِ ما مُنِعا

أَحَبُّ شَيْءٍ إِلى الإِنْسانِ ما مُنِعا

“Expect nothing but a promise of union with me;

Do not hope for more affection from me than what I've promised

What is withheld is dearest to humankind.”

The thing humans love most is what's forbidden