خليليَّ هل تُقضى لُبانةُ هائمِ

خليليَّ هل تُقضى لُبانةُ هائمِ

أم الوجد والتبريحُ ضربةُ لازم

أم الوجد والتبريحُ ضربةُ لازم

My two friends, will a lovesick wanderer's wish be fulfilled,

My beloved, will my torment caused by passionate love be relieved?

Oh my two friends, is the wish of a wanderer ever granted, or are passion and torment a mandatory decree?

Or are longing and torment an inescapable blow?

Or is anguish and the agony of separation destined to persist?

For I am enamored with the passion I face, like one consoled, though my heart reveals as it conceals.

فأنّي بما ألقى من الوجد مغرمٌ

فأنّي بما ألقى من الوجد مغرمٌ

كَسالٍ وقلبي بائحٌ مثل كاتمِ

كَسالٍ وقلبي بائحٌ مثل كاتمِ

For, in the longing I endure, I am a lovesick man

For I am infatuated with the anguish I suffer,

And I have tears whose clouds pour forth upon my cheek, whenever the lightning of smiles flashes.

Like one freed of love; my confessing heart is like one concealing it.

Like one who is thirsty, while my heart wails like one who suppresses pain.

It suffices for sorrow that I melt with ardent love, and complain of what I suffer to one without mercy.

ولي عَبَراتٌ يستهل غمامها

ولي عَبَراتٌ يستهل غمامها

بخدّي إذا لاحت بروقُ المباسم

بخدّي إذا لاحت بروقُ المباسم

And I have tears whose cloud pours down

And I have tears whose clouds begin

I graze upon his cheeks in the garden of desires, while my heart burns from his love in a blazing fire.

Upon my cheek when the lightning of smiling mouths flashes.

To pour down my cheek when smiles appear.

Youth and amusement have passed, save for a spark that renews for me the ancient covenant of youth.

كفى حزناً أنّي أذوبَ صبابةً

كفى حزناً أنّي أذوبَ صبابةً

وأشكو الذي ألقى إلى غير راحم

وأشكو الذي ألقى إلى غير راحم

It is sorrow enough that I melt with ardent love,

It is enough of sorrow that I melt away in my youth

As if I never spent my time with morning draughts, nor enjoyed the company of a tender, dark-eyed one,

And complain of what I suffer to one who has no mercy.

And complain of her to whom I was passionately devoted but who had no mercy.

Nor passed the night of seduction kissing him, beneath the veils of darkness while he kissed me.

وارتع من خديه في جنة المنى

وارتع من خديه في جنة المنى

ويَصلى فؤادي من هواهُ بجاحم

ويَصلى فؤادي من هواهُ بجاحم

And I graze upon his cheeks in the paradise of desire,

She enjoyed the kisses from his cheek in the garden of wishes

When he passed the cup at midnight, I deemed him passing a crescent moon rising amidst the clouds.

While my heart burns in a blaze from love of him.

While my heart was burning with passionate love for him.

O Abu Hasan, I hold fast to your affection, so will you one day save me from your estrangement?

تقضّى الصِبا واللهوُ إلا حشاشةً

تقضّى الصِبا واللهوُ إلا حشاشةً

تَجدَّدُ لي عهد الصِبا المتقادم

تَجدَّدُ لي عهد الصِبا المتقادم

Youth and revelry have passed, save for a last remnant

My youth and carelessness have passed away except for traces

I made you the arbiter of my soul and heart to please you, yet you have become the most unjust of judges.

That renews for me the long-past days of youth.

That renew for me times gone by.

Do you wrong me in friendship while there remains among you a noble chief, hoped for to redress grievances?

كأنِّيَ لم أقطع بصُبحٍ وقهوةِ

كأنِّيَ لم أقطع بصُبحٍ وقهوةِ

زماني ولم أنعم بأحور ناعم

زماني ولم أنعم بأحور ناعم

As though I had not spent, with dawn and wine,

It is as if I never divided my time between morning coffee and evening wine

Your father was the gemstone of pride on the finger of glory, and the central jewel upon the neck of noble deeds.

My days, nor delighted in a tender, dark-eyed beloved.

And never enjoyed the soft caresses of maidens.

How many of you has the earth's back and belly embraced, full moons of the dark, every bold and resolute one.

ولا بتُّ في ليلٍ الغَواية لاثما

ولا بتُّ في ليلٍ الغَواية لاثما

له تحت أستار الدجى وهو لاثمي

له تحت أستار الدجى وهو لاثمي

Nor spent a night of wantonness kissing

I never stayed up late at night engaged in flirtation

And noble chieftains in ample robes, tall in stature, bearing swords with sharp resolve.

Him beneath the veils of darkness, while he kissed me.

With a charmer whose mouth was sealed to mine beneath the veil of darkness.

Absence has not distracted me from your love, though through it you ignited the fire of sorrow in my chest.

إذا ما أدار الكأسَ وهناً حسبته

إذا ما أدار الكأسَ وهناً حسبته

يدير هلالاُ طالعاً في غمائم

يدير هلالاُ طالعاً في غمائم

When he passed the cup around late at night, I imagined him

When he passes around the goblet, I imagine

How many greetings I send towards you therein, carried by the gentle, languid breezes.

Turning a rising crescent amid clouds.

He is passing around a crescent moon rising in the clouds.

If a mention of you passes my lips one day, I imagine it as musk flowing through my senses.

أبا حسن أنّي بودِّك مُعصِمٌ

أبا حسن أنّي بودِّك مُعصِمٌ

فهل أنت يوماً من جفائك عاصمي

فهل أنت يوماً من جفائك عاصمي

O Abu Hasan, I take refuge in your love;

Abu Hassan, I hold fast to loving you,

Longing called me to you, and my spirit took flight in the morn, on wings of passion, both hidden and plain.

So will you one day protect me from your coldness?

So will you one day shield me from your disfavor?

Even if I were in my grave and you called me, my crumbling bones would answer you from beneath the dust.

جعلتك في نفسي وقلبي محكَّماً

جعلتك في نفسي وقلبي محكَّماً

لترضى فقد أصبحت أجور حاكم

لترضى فقد أصبحت أجور حاكم

I appointed you arbiter of my soul and heart

I have made you the arbiter in my soul and heart

I shall offer you pure love as long as the East Wind blows, and the doves coo within the thicket.

So you might be pleased—yet you have become the most unjust of judges.

Hoping you will be satisfied, for you have now become the supreme judge.

أتظلِمني ودّ وما زال فيكم

أتظلِمني ودّ وما زال فيكم

قريعُ عَليَّ يُرجى لردِّ المظالمِ

قريعُ عَليَّ يُرجى لردِّ المظالمِ

Will you wrong me, dear friend, when among you there remains

Do you wrong me when I love you and does no one still remain among you

A peer of Ali, looked to for redressing wrongs?

Who can be hoped to redress injustice?

وقد كان فَصَّ الفخر في خِنصَر العلا

وقد كان فَصَّ الفخر في خِنصَر العلا

أبوك ووسطى فوق جيد المكارم

أبوك ووسطى فوق جيد المكارم

Indeed, he was the jewel of pride on glory's little finger—

The brows of your father were the seat of glory

Your father—and the central jewel upon the neck of noble virtues.

And the best qualities adorned his noble forehead.

وكم ضمَّ ظهرُ الأرض منكم وبطنها

وكم ضمَّ ظهرُ الأرض منكم وبطنها

بدور دجى من كل أشوسٍ حازم

بدور دجى من كل أشوسٍ حازم

And how many of you have the earth's back and belly embraced—

How much the surface and belly of the earth have borne

Full moons in darkness: every fierce, resolute man,

Of dark chambers from every firm and resolute man!

وأباج فضفاض القميص حُلاحِلٍ

وأباج فضفاض القميص حُلاحِلٍ

طويل نجاد السيف ماضي العزائمِ

طويل نجاد السيف ماضي العزائمِ

And [radiant-faced?], ample of tunic, a noble chief,

Lords wearing tattered shirts of fine fabric,

Long of sword-baldric, decisive in resolve.

With trailing garments and determined hearts drew their sharp swords.

وما أذهلتني عن ودادك غيبةٌ

وما أذهلتني عن ودادك غيبةٌ

قدحتَ بها نار الأسى في حيازمي

قدحتَ بها نار الأسى في حيازمي

Nor has absence distracted me from loving you;

No long absence on your part has distracted me

Through it you kindled sorrow's fire within my breast.

From loving you or kindled the fire of sorrow in my vitals.

وكم ليَ فيها نحوكم من تحيةٍ

وكم ليَ فيها نحوكم من تحيةٍ

أحملها مرضى الرياح النواسم

أحملها مرضى الرياح النواسم

And how many greetings I have for you all in that absence,

I have for you many a greeting

Entrusting them to the ailing, gently wafting winds.

That I carry though the winds move sluggishly.

إذا مرَّ ذكرٌ منك يوماً على فمي

إذا مرَّ ذكرٌ منك يوماً على فمي

توهَّمتهُ مسكاً سرى في خياشمي

توهَّمتهُ مسكاً سرى في خياشمي

When a mention of you crosses my lips one day,

Whenever your name passes my lips,

I fancy it musk coursing through my nostrils.

I imagine it to be musk that has permeated my whiskers.

دعاني إليك الشوقُ فاهتاج طائري

دعاني إليك الشوقُ فاهتاج طائري

ضحى بخواف للهوى وقوادم

ضحى بخواف للهوى وقوادم

Longing called me to you, and my bird grew restless

Yearning for you stirred my steed into excitement

At midmorning, with love's inner and outer flight-feathers.

And it sacrificed its cheeks out of love and ran swiftly.

ولو أنني في ملحدي ودعوتني

ولو أنني في ملحدي ودعوتني

للبتك من تحت الصعيد رمائمي

للبتك من تحت الصعيد رمائمي

Even if I were in my grave and you called me,

Even if I were in my grave and you called me,

My crumbling remains would surely answer you from beneath the soil.

My bones would tremble beneath the ground.

سأصفيك محض الود ما هبتِ الصَبا

سأصفيك محض الود ما هبتِ الصَبا

وما سجعت في الأيك ورق الحمائم

وما سجعت في الأيك ورق الحمائم

I shall devote unalloyed love to you as long as the east wind blows,

I will show you sincere affection so long as the morning breeze blows

And as long as gray doves coo among the thickets.

And so long as doves moan on the boughs of trees.