وَيحَكَ يا قَلبُ أَما قُلتُ لَكَ

وَيحَكَ يا قَلبُ أَما قُلتُ لَكَ

إِيّاكَ أَن تَهلِكَ في مَن هَلَك

إِيّاكَ أَن تَهلِكَ في مَن هَلَك

Woe to you, O heart! Did I not tell you

Oh my heart, did I not tell you

to beware of perishing among those who perished?

Beware, lest you perish for those who are lost

حَرَّكتَ مِن نارِ الهَوى ساكِناً

حَرَّكتَ مِن نارِ الهَوى ساكِناً

ما كانَ أَغناكَ وَما أَشغَلَك

ما كانَ أَغناكَ وَما أَشغَلَك

You stirred what lay dormant in passion's fire—

You stirred up dormant love’s fire

how little you needed it, and how it has preoccupied you!

What did distract or busy you?

وَلي حَبيبٌ لَم يَدَع مَسلَكاً

وَلي حَبيبٌ لَم يَدَع مَسلَكاً

يُشمِتُ بي الأَعداءَ إِلّا سَلَك

يُشمِتُ بي الأَعداءَ إِلّا سَلَك

And I have a beloved who has left no path

And I have a beloved who left no path

that makes my enemies gloat over me without treading it.

To make enemies gloat over me, but he took it

مَلَّكتُهُ رِقِّيَ وَيا لَيتَهُ

مَلَّكتُهُ رِقِّيَ وَيا لَيتَهُ

لَو رَقَّ أَو أَحسَنَ لَمّا مَلَك

لَو رَقَّ أَو أَحسَنَ لَمّا مَلَك

I made him master of my servitude—oh, would that he

I owned his bond, and would that he

had been tender or kind when he gained mastery!

Had been kinder or done better when he ruled

بِاللَهِ يا أَحمَرَ خَدَّيهِ مَن

بِاللَهِ يا أَحمَرَ خَدَّيهِ مَن

عَضَّكَ أَو أَدماكَ أَو أَخجَلَك

عَضَّكَ أَو أَدماكَ أَو أَخجَلَك

By God, O crimson of his cheeks, who

By Allah, O red of his cheeks, who

bit you, made you bleed, or made you blush?

Bit you or made you bleed or shamed you?

وَأَنتَ يا نَرجِسَ عَينَيهِ كَم

وَأَنتَ يا نَرجِسَ عَينَيهِ كَم

تَشرَبُ مِن قَلبي وَما أَذبَلَك

تَشرَبُ مِن قَلبي وَما أَذبَلَك

And you, O narcissus of his eyes, how much

And you, O narcissus of his eyes, how much

you drink from my heart—yet how wilted you are!

Do you drink of my heart without withering?

وَيا لَمى مَرشَفِهِ إِنَّني

وَيا لَمى مَرشَفِهِ إِنَّني

أَغارُ لِلمِسواكِ إِذ قَبَّلَك

أَغارُ لِلمِسواكِ إِذ قَبَّلَك

And O dusky hue of his lips, truly I

O brightness of his smile, I

am jealous of the tooth-stick, for it kissed you.

Envy the touch of his kiss on you

وَيا مَهَزَّ الغُصنِ مِن عِطفِهِ

وَيا مَهَزَّ الغُصنِ مِن عِطفِهِ

تَبارَكَ اللًهُ الَّذي عَدَّلَك

تَبارَكَ اللًهُ الَّذي عَدَّلَك

And O bough-like sway of his form,

O sway of branch in his charm,

blessed be God, who shaped you in due proportion!

Blessed is God, who made you perfect

مَولايَ حاشاكَ تُرى غادِراً

مَولايَ حاشاكَ تُرى غادِراً

ما أَقبَحَ الغَدرَ وَما أَجمَلَك

ما أَقبَحَ الغَدرَ وَما أَجمَلَك

My lord, far be it from you to be seen as treacherous!

My master, far be it from you to be unjust

How ugly treachery is, and how beautiful you are!

How ugly is betrayal, and how beautiful you are

ما لَكَ في فِعلِكَ مِن مُشبِهٍ

ما لَكَ في فِعلِكَ مِن مُشبِهٍ

ما تَمَّ في العالَمِ ما تَمَّ لَكَ

ما تَمَّ في العالَمِ ما تَمَّ لَكَ

There is none like you in your conduct;

You have no equal in your deeds

nowhere else in the world is there such perfection as yours.

None in the world equals what equals you