بَرَحتُ حَتّى بَرَّحَ الوَجدُ بي

بَرَحتُ حَتّى بَرَّحَ الوَجدُ بي

وا حَرَبا مِن ثَغرِكَ الأَشنَبِ

وا حَرَبا مِن ثَغرِكَ الأَشنَبِ

I languished until longing itself racked me;

I went away until longing tormented me.

ah, what warfare comes from your bright-toothed frontier!

Oh, the anguish from your cool, sweet mouth!

بِالشارِبِ المُخضَرِّ صِل مُذنِفاً

بِالشارِبِ المُخضَرِّ صِل مُذنِفاً

سوى كَؤسِ الدَمعِ لَم يَشرَبِ

سوى كَؤسِ الدَمعِ لَم يَشرَبِ

By your newly darkening moustache, grant union to a sinner

By the green-tinged moustache, grant union to a lovesick man

who has drunk nothing but cups of tears.

who has drunk nothing but cups of tears.

ما لي سِوى مُهجَةَ قَلبي الَّتي

ما لي سِوى مُهجَةَ قَلبي الَّتي

أَحيا بِها خُذها وَلا تَغضَبِ

أَحيا بِها خُذها وَلا تَغضَبِ

I have nothing but my heart’s lifeblood,

I have nothing but my heart's lifeblood, by which

by which I live—take it, and do not be angry.

I live; take it, and do not be angry.

مَذاهِبُ العُشّاقِ حَسبي بَلى

مَذاهِبُ العُشّاقِ حَسبي بَلى

أَحسَنُ ما كانَ بِها مَذهَبي

أَحسَنُ ما كانَ بِها مَذهَبي

The creeds of lovers suffice me—yes,

The ways of lovers suffice me; indeed,

and the finest among them has been my creed.

my way is the finest there has been among them.

لا تَعذِلوني في اِكتِئابي بِهِ

لا تَعذِلوني في اِكتِئابي بِهِ

صَبابَتي فيهِ مِنَ المَكتَبِ

صَبابَتي فيهِ مِنَ المَكتَبِ

Do not reproach me for my melancholy over him;

Do not reproach me for my melancholy over him;

my passion for him began in the schoolroom.

my yearning for him began at school.