غنَّى الهِزارُ على روضِ العَرارِ بكُمْ

غنَّى الهِزارُ على روضِ العَرارِ بكُمْ

فما عَرَفْنا من المَقْصودِ بالنَّغَمِ

فما عَرَفْنا من المَقْصودِ بالنَّغَمِ

The nightingale sang of you over a meadow of arar blossoms,

The nightingale sang of you over the wild-chamomile meadow,

yet we could not fathom what the melody meant.

yet we knew nothing of the meaning intended by the melody.

وذا النَّسيمُ على الوادي البَسيمِ سَرى

وذا النَّسيمُ على الوادي البَسيمِ سَرى

فما فهِمنا تدلِّي رقَّةِ النَّسَمِ

فما فهِمنا تدلِّي رقَّةِ النَّسَمِ

And this breeze traveled by night through the smiling valley,

And this breeze drifted by night over the smiling valley,

yet we could not understand the tender wafting of its breaths.

yet we did not fathom the descent of the breezes' tenderness.

وهاجَتِ العِيسُ تَبغي رُحْبَ ساحَتِكُمْ

وهاجَتِ العِيسُ تَبغي رُحْبَ ساحَتِكُمْ

فما فقِهْنا هَزيزَ الرَّكبِ أَينَ رُمي

فما فقِهْنا هَزيزَ الرَّكبِ أَينَ رُمي

The white camels stirred, seeking the spaciousness of your courtyards,

And the pale camels stirred, seeking your courtyard's wide expanse,

yet we could not discern where the caravan’s rustling was bound.

yet we did not grasp where the caravan's swaying was directed.

ولم نزلْ في حِجابٍ من جَلالَتِكُمْ

ولم نزلْ في حِجابٍ من جَلالَتِكُمْ

ما بينَ مضْطَرِمٍ منَّا ومنسَجِمِ

ما بينَ مضْطَرِمٍ منَّا ومنسَجِمِ

Never have we ceased to stand behind a veil before your majesty,

And we remain within a veil of your majesty,

some of us agitated, others composed.

between those of us ablaze and those streaming with tears.

وحُرمَةِ العهدِ والوُدِّ القَديمِ وما

وحُرمَةِ العهدِ والوُدِّ القَديمِ وما

قد فاحَ من مِسكِ ذاكَ المشهدِ الحَشِمِ

قد فاحَ من مِسكِ ذاكَ المشهدِ الحَشِمِ

By the sanctity of the covenant and the ancient love—and by whatever

By the sanctity of the pledge, the love of old, and what

musk has wafted from that revered and sacred shrine—

has wafted of musk from that august presence,

لولاكُمُ ما تلهَّفْنا لذِي سَلَمٍ

لولاكُمُ ما تلهَّفْنا لذِي سَلَمٍ

ولا أَرِقْنا لذاتِ البانِ والعَلَمِ

ولا أَرِقْنا لذاتِ البانِ والعَلَمِ

were it not for you, we would never have yearned for Dhu Salam,

but for you, we would not have yearned for Dhu Salam,

nor lain sleepless for Dhat al-Ban and al-Alam.

nor lain awake for Dhat al-Ban and al-Alam.

وجدٌ تمكَّنَ من أَحشائِنا فطَوى

وجدٌ تمكَّنَ من أَحشائِنا فطَوى

أَجزاءَ قلبٍ لغيرِ الحيِّ لم يَهِمِ

أَجزاءَ قلبٍ لغيرِ الحيِّ لم يَهِمِ

My ecstatic love took possession of our innermost parts and gathered up

Longing took hold of our innermost parts and enfolded

the fragments of a heart that never yearned toward any camp but yours.

the parts of a heart that never yearned for any but the clan.

يا ساكِنينَ بقلبي لا عَدِمْتُ لكُمْ

يا ساكِنينَ بقلبي لا عَدِمْتُ لكُمْ

معنًى لَطيفاً سَرى مَعْناهُ ضمنَ دَمِي

معنًى لَطيفاً سَرى مَعْناهُ ضمنَ دَمِي

O you who dwell within my heart, may I never be bereft of you—

O dwellers in my heart, may I never be without your

a subtle meaning whose significance courses within my blood.

subtle meaning, whose essence courses within my blood.

ويا رَفارِفَ رُوحي في مَعارِجِها

ويا رَفارِفَ رُوحي في مَعارِجِها

بذِكْرِكُمْ قد يُداوى في الهَوَى سَقَمِي

بذِكْرِكُمْ قد يُداوى في الهَوَى سَقَمِي

O my companions, upon its ascents my soul

And O fluttering wings of my soul in its ascents,

finds its lovesickness healed through remembrance of you.

through remembrance of you, my sickness in love may be healed.

كم للخِيامِ بقلبي من مُعارَكَةٍ

كم للخِيامِ بقلبي من مُعارَكَةٍ

تَهُفُّ فيهِ هَفيفَ الرِّيحِ في الخِيَمِ

تَهُفُّ فيهِ هَفيفَ الرِّيحِ في الخِيَمِ

How many battles over the tents rage within my heart,

How many a battle the tents wage within my heart,

which quivers there like the wind rustling through tents!

fluttering there as wind flutters through the tents.

إذا تجلَّى خَيالٌ من مَطالِعِكُمْ

إذا تجلَّى خَيالٌ من مَطالِعِكُمْ

أَحْيى وإلاَّ فيا مَوْتي ويا عَدَمِي

أَحْيى وإلاَّ فيا مَوْتي ويا عَدَمِي

Whenever an apparition rises from your horizons,

When a vision appears from your dawning-places,

I come alive; otherwise—alas for my death, alas for my nonbeing!

I live; otherwise, O my death, O my nonexistence!

يا ما أُغَيْلى بعَيني حُسْنَ منظَرِكُمْ

يا ما أُغَيْلى بعَيني حُسْنَ منظَرِكُمْ

يا ما أُحَيْلى مَثاني ذِكْرِكُمْ بفَمِي

يا ما أُحَيْلى مَثاني ذِكْرِكُمْ بفَمِي

Ah, how jealously my eye guards the beauty of your countenance!

O how dear to my eyes is the beauty of your appearance!

Ah, how my mouth revives the repeated praises of your remembrance!

O how sweet in my mouth are the refrains of your remembrance!

يجُرُّ دَمعي بُحورَ الوجدِ مائجَةً

يجُرُّ دَمعي بُحورَ الوجدِ مائجَةً

تَروحُ ما بينَ مَسْجورٍ ومُلْتَطِمِ

تَروحُ ما بينَ مَسْجورٍ ومُلْتَطِمِ

My tears flow like surging seas of passion,

My tears draw along surging seas of longing,

ranging between a sea set ablaze and one lashed by waves.

ranging between seas ablaze and seas of clashing waves.

عَهدي بأَحْبابِ قلبي ما ذَكَرْتُهُمو

عَهدي بأَحْبابِ قلبي ما ذَكَرْتُهُمو

إِلاَّ ولاحَ لعَيْني نورُ حَيِّهِمِ

إِلاَّ ولاحَ لعَيْني نورُ حَيِّهِمِ

Such is my way with my heart’s beloveds: whenever I remember them,

I know my heart's beloveds thus: never do I recall them

the light of their encampment gleams before my eyes.

without the light of their encampment shining before my eye.

ولا طُرِقَتُ برَمْشٍ حينَ أَنْدُبُهُمْ

ولا طُرِقَتُ برَمْشٍ حينَ أَنْدُبُهُمْ

إِلاَّ لَمَسْتُ بطَرْفي زِيقَ ذَيْلِهِمِ

إِلاَّ لَمَسْتُ بطَرْفي زِيقَ ذَيْلِهِمِ

Never does an eyelash of mine blink while I lament them

Nor do I blink an eyelash when I lament them,

without my glance touching the hem of their trailing robes.

without my gaze touching the border of their hem.

ولا تمَثَّلْتُ بالوادي وظَبْيَتِهِ

ولا تمَثَّلْتُ بالوادي وظَبْيَتِهِ

إِلاَّ كتبْتُ بقَلبي سطرَ شكلِهِمِ

إِلاَّ كتبْتُ بقَلبي سطرَ شكلِهِمِ

Nor do I picture the valley and their absence from it

Nor do I speak in images of the valley and its gazelle,

without inscribing the contours of their forms upon my heart.

without inscribing upon my heart a line of their likeness.

أَجْزاءُ رُوحي لم تبرَحْ بساحَتِهِمْ

أَجْزاءُ رُوحي لم تبرَحْ بساحَتِهِمْ

تُقَبِّلُ الأَرضَ من أَطرافِ رُكْنِهِمِ

تُقَبِّلُ الأَرضَ من أَطرافِ رُكْنِهِمِ

The fragments of my soul have never left their courtyard,

The parts of my soul have never ceased, in their courtyard,

kissing the earth along the borders of their sanctuary.

to kiss the earth along the edges of their abode.

لو أنَّ لي مَحْضَةً رُوحاً لجُدْتُ بها

لو أنَّ لي مَحْضَةً رُوحاً لجُدْتُ بها

لأَجلِهِمْ إنَّما كلِّي لكُلِّهِمِ

لأَجلِهِمْ إنَّما كلِّي لكُلِّهِمِ

Had I a pure treasure of souls, I would lavish it upon them,

Had I a pure soul of my own, I would give it freely

for their sake—for all of me belongs to all of them.

for their sake; yet all of me belongs to all of them.

وكيفَ يَفْديهُمُو من كانَ من قِدَمٍ

وكيفَ يَفْديهُمُو من كانَ من قِدَمٍ

في طَيِّ طِينَتِهِ عبداً لعَبْدِهِمِ

في طَيِّ طِينَتِهِ عبداً لعَبْدِهِمِ

Yet how could one ransom them who has, since primordial time,

And how can one ransom them who has, since time immemorial,

been, within the very fold of his clay, a slave to their slave?

within the folds of his very clay, been a slave to their slave?

يا من أُساجِلُهُمْ شوقي وأَكْتُمُهُمْ

يا من أُساجِلُهُمْ شوقي وأَكْتُمُهُمْ

طَوْقي وأُفْضَحُ من ذُلِّي لعزِّهِمِ

طَوْقي وأُفْضَحُ من ذُلِّي لعزِّهِمِ

O you with whom I vie in longing, while I conceal from them

O you with whom I exchange my longing, from whom I conceal

my restraint—my abasement before their glory exposes me.

my collar—yet my abasement before your might lays me bare.

ويا غُصونَ فَنونٍ ما تَميلُ ضُحًى

ويا غُصونَ فَنونٍ ما تَميلُ ضُحًى

إِلاَّ أَميلُ برُوحي حالَ مَيْلِهِمِ

إِلاَّ أَميلُ برُوحي حالَ مَيْلِهِمِ

O branches of manifold grace, whenever you sway at morning,

And O branching boughs, never do you sway at forenoon

I cannot but incline with my soul as you incline.

without my soul swaying as you sway.

لكنْ يطيِّبُ قلبي أنَّهُمْ قَبِلوا

لكنْ يطيِّبُ قلبي أنَّهُمْ قَبِلوا

اسمي بديوانِهِمْ في أَهلِ حُبِّهِمِ

اسمي بديوانِهِمْ في أَهلِ حُبِّهِمِ

Yet it pleases my heart that they accepted

But it gladdens my heart that they have accepted

my name in their register among the people of their love.

my name in their register among those who love them.

فإنْ تنفَّسْتُ عن طِيبٍ بُعَيْدَ إذٍ

فإنْ تنفَّسْتُ عن طِيبٍ بُعَيْدَ إذٍ

فإنَّما الطِّيبُ من آثارِ طِيبِهِمِ

فإنَّما الطِّيبُ من آثارِ طِيبِهِمِ

If, after their departure, I breathed forth any fragrance, then

So if I breathe out fragrance a little after that,

that fragrance was only a trace of their perfume.

the fragrance comes only from traces of their fragrance.

هُمْ علَّموني الهَوَى ما كنتُ أعلَهُمُ

هُمْ علَّموني الهَوَى ما كنتُ أعلَهُمُ

يا لائِمي بعدَ هذا كيفَ شِئتَ لُمِ

يا لائِمي بعدَ هذا كيفَ شِئتَ لُمِ

They taught me love when I knew it not;

They taught me love, which I had not known.

O you who blame me after this, blame me however you wish.

O my reproacher, after this, reproach me however you please.

ونَسمَةٍ حاضَرَتْنا من مَحاضِرِهِمْ

ونَسمَةٍ حاضَرَتْنا من مَحاضِرِهِمْ

وأَفرَغَتْ في حِمانا نشرَ عِطرِهِمِ

وأَفرَغَتْ في حِمانا نشرَ عِطرِهِمِ

A breeze from their gathering places visited our town

And a breeze visited us from their gatherings,

and spread throughout our precinct the wafted fragrance of their perfume.

and poured into our haven the diffusing scent of their perfume.

لولا المَواعيدُ فيهِمْ ذابَ حاضِرُنا

لولا المَواعيدُ فيهِمْ ذابَ حاضِرُنا

سُقْماً ورُحْنا فلم نقعُدْ ولم نَقُمِ

سُقْماً ورُحْنا فلم نقعُدْ ولم نَقُمِ

Were it not for the promised meetings with them, our present selves would melt

But for the promises concerning them, our presence would melt

away in sickness; we would depart, neither sitting nor standing.

with sickness, and we would be gone, neither sitting nor standing.

تَناهَبَتْنا سِقامُ البُعْدِ فاضْطَرَبَتْ

تَناهَبَتْنا سِقامُ البُعْدِ فاضْطَرَبَتْ

أَلبابُنا خَشيةً من بأسِ بُعْدِهِمِ

أَلبابُنا خَشيةً من بأسِ بُعْدِهِمِ

The maladies of distance plundered us, and our hearts trembled,

The maladies of separation plundered us; trembling seized

fearful of the harshness of their remoteness.

our minds, in dread of the harshness of their remoteness.

ومن عَجيبٍ دَعَوْنا للتَّقرُّبِ لم

ومن عَجيبٍ دَعَوْنا للتَّقرُّبِ لم

نُحْجِمْ وخِفْنا جَلالاً عِزَّ قُرْبِهِمِ

نُحْجِمْ وخِفْنا جَلالاً عِزَّ قُرْبِهِمِ

Wondrously, despite our claims of seeking nearness, we did not

Strangely, they summoned us to draw near; we did not

hold back; yet, awestruck, we feared how inaccessible their nearness is.

hold back, yet in awe we feared the might of their nearness.

فقُرْبُهُمْ واحدٌ والبُعْدُ إنَّهُمُ

فقُرْبُهُمْ واحدٌ والبُعْدُ إنَّهُمُ

في الحالَتَيْنِ على سُلطانِ قُدْسِهِمِ

في الحالَتَيْنِ على سُلطانِ قُدْسِهِمِ

Nearness to them and distance are one; indeed, they

For nearness to them and distance are one; indeed, they

in either state remain enthroned in the sovereignty of their holiness.

in both states stand in the sovereignty of their holiness.

ما أَطْوَلَ اللَّيْلَ فيهِمْ والدُّجى قَلِقٌ

ما أَطْوَلَ اللَّيْلَ فيهِمْ والدُّجى قَلِقٌ

ما أَقرَبَ اليومَ إذْ فجُّوا بشَمْسِهِمِ

ما أَقرَبَ اليومَ إذْ فجُّوا بشَمْسِهِمِ

How long the night for their sake, while the darkness lies restless!

How long the night on their account, its darkness restless!

How near the day when they burst upon us with their sun!

How near the day, when they burst forth with their sun!

الشَّمسُ طالِعَةٌ من نورِ مشهَدِهِمْ

الشَّمسُ طالِعَةٌ من نورِ مشهَدِهِمْ

واللَّيلُ مُنْسَدِلٌ في طيِّ بُرْدِهِمِ

واللَّيلُ مُنْسَدِلٌ في طيِّ بُرْدِهِمِ

The sun rises from the light of beholding them,

The sun rises from the light of their presence,

and night descends within the folds of their cloak.

and night hangs down within the folds of their mantle.

جِنْسِيَّةُ العشقِ ضمَّتْني لعُصْبَتِهِمْ

جِنْسِيَّةُ العشقِ ضمَّتْني لعُصْبَتِهِمْ

يا عِلَّةَ الضَّمِّ أوهَنْتِ قُوى هِمَمِي

يا عِلَّةَ الضَّمِّ أوهَنْتِ قُوى هِمَمِي

The kinship of love joined me to their band;

The kinship of passionate love joined me to their company.

O cause of union, have you weakened the powers of my resolve?

O cause of union, you have weakened the strength of my aspirations!

ما لي وللنَّظرَةِ الخَلْصاءِ إذْ بَرَزوا

ما لي وللنَّظرَةِ الخَلْصاءِ إذْ بَرَزوا

فوقَ المَنابِرِ في مَرْفوعِ عرشِهِمِ

فوقَ المَنابِرِ في مَرْفوعِ عرشِهِمِ

What have I to do with the pure vision when they appear

What claim have I to a pure gaze when they appear

above the pulpits, upon their exalted throne?

above the pulpits, on their exalted throne?

ومن أَنا لأَراهُمْ كم جَهِلْتُ أَنا

ومن أَنا لأَراهُمْ كم جَهِلْتُ أَنا

قدْري لجهْلِيَ والَهفي بقدرِهِمِ

قدْري لجهْلِيَ والَهفي بقدرِهِمِ

And who am I to see them? How ignorant I have been

And who am I to behold them? How I have misjudged

of my own worth—and alas for me before their rank!

my own worth, through ignorance—alas!—of their worth.

عليهِمُ من فُؤادي كلَّ آوِنَةٍ

عليهِمُ من فُؤادي كلَّ آوِنَةٍ

سَلامُ وجدٍ تحيَّاتٌ حكَتْ ألَمِي

سَلامُ وجدٍ تحيَّاتٌ حكَتْ ألَمِي

Upon them, from my heart at every moment,

To them, from my heart, at every moment,

a greeting born of passion—salutations that recount my pain—

goes a greeting of longing, salutations that echo my pain.

تمسُّ أعْتابَهُمْ منِّي بفذْلَكَةٍ

تمسُّ أعْتابَهُمْ منِّي بفذْلَكَةٍ

من لُبِّ رُوحي وتَقْضي كَنسَ تُرْبِهِمِ

من لُبِّ رُوحي وتَقْضي كَنسَ تُرْبِهِمِ

to touch their thresholds on my behalf, bearing the sum

They touch their thresholds on my behalf with a distillation

of my soul’s essence, and to sweep away their dust;

of my soul's core, and sweep their ground,

وتَجْتلي رمزُ حكمٍ من تَدَلُّلهِمْ

وتَجْتلي رمزُ حكمٍ من تَدَلُّلهِمْ

بسِرِّ ذُلِّي وتَقْبيلي لنَعْلِهِمِ

بسِرِّ ذُلِّي وتَقْبيلي لنَعْلِهِمِ

to discern a symbol of wisdom in their coy disdain,

and discern a token of wisdom in their coquetry,

through the secret of my abasement and my kissing of their sandals.

through the secret of my abasement and my kissing of their sandal.

في حالَةِ البُعْدِ روحي كنتُ أُرْسِلُها

في حالَةِ البُعْدِ روحي كنتُ أُرْسِلُها

لطورِ سِينائِهِمْ في سبرِ سينِهِمِ

لطورِ سِينائِهِمْ في سبرِ سينِهِمِ

While distant, I used to send my soul

In the state of distance, I used to send my soul

to the Sinai of their presence, to fathom their secret.

to their Mount Sinai, to fathom their letter sīn,

تقبِّلُ الأَرضَ عنِّي وهي نائِبَتي

تقبِّلُ الأَرضَ عنِّي وهي نائِبَتي

يا طِيبَ مُنْتَشَقٍ منها ومُلْتَثَمِ

يا طِيبَ مُنْتَشَقٍ منها ومُلْتَثَمِ

It would kiss the earth on my behalf, acting as my deputy—

kissing the earth on my behalf, acting as my deputy.

ah, how sweet what it inhaled from there and what it kissed!

How sweet what is inhaled from it, and what is kissed!

وهذه دولةُ الأَشْباحِ قد حضرَتْ

وهذه دولةُ الأَشْباحِ قد حضرَتْ

لسُدَّةِ المَدَدِ الفَيَّاضِ بالكَرَمِ

لسُدَّةِ المَدَدِ الفَيَّاضِ بالكَرَمِ

Now the turn of bodily forms has arrived

And this realm of bodily forms has now arrived

at the portal of aid, overflowing with generosity.

at the threshold of succor overflowing with generosity.

فامْدُدْ يَمينَكَ كي تَحْظى بها شَفَتي

فامْدُدْ يَمينَكَ كي تَحْظى بها شَفَتي

يا روحُ رُوحي وروحَ النَّاسِ كلِّهِمِ

يا روحُ رُوحي وروحَ النَّاسِ كلِّهِمِ

So stretch out your right hand, that my lips may attain it,

So extend your right hand, that my lip may be favored by it,

O spirit of my spirit, and spirit of all humankind.

O soul of my soul, and soul of all humanity!