نَعِمتُ بِكُم وَالدَهرُ في غَفلانِهِ

نَعِمتُ بِكُم وَالدَهرُ في غَفلانِهِ

زَماناً وَقَلبي آمِنٌ مِن شَتاتِهِ

زَماناً وَقَلبي آمِنٌ مِن شَتاتِهِ

With you I lived in bliss, while Time was heedless,

I lived in bliss with you while Time was heedless,

for a while, and my heart was safe from being scattered.

For a time, my heart safe from its sundering.

وَلَم أَدرِ ما الأَحزانُ حَتّى بَعدتم

وَلَم أَدرِ ما الأَحزانُ حَتّى بَعدتم

فَقَلبِيَ مَوقوفٌ عَلى حَسَراتِهِ

فَقَلبِيَ مَوقوفٌ عَلى حَسَراتِهِ

I knew nothing of sorrow until you went far away;

And I knew not what sorrows were until you went far away,

now my heart is held fast by its regrets.

So my heart is given over to its heartaches.

أَأَحبابَنا بِالجَزعِ هَل يَسمَعُ النَوى

أَأَحبابَنا بِالجَزعِ هَل يَسمَعُ النَوى

بِيَومٍ يَكونُ القُربُ مِن حَسَناتِهِ

بِيَومٍ يَكونُ القُربُ مِن حَسَناتِهِ

O our beloved ones at the valley bend, will separation ever hear

O our beloved at al-Jazʿ, will separation hear

of a day whose blessings include reunion?

Of a day when nearness is among its good deeds?

لَقَد حَكَمَت فينا اللَيالي بِفُرقَةٍ

لَقَد حَكَمَت فينا اللَيالي بِفُرقَةٍ

سَلا بَعدَها المُشتاقُ طيبَ حَياتِهِ

سَلا بَعدَها المُشتاقُ طيبَ حَياتِهِ

The nights have indeed decreed separation for us,

The nights have indeed sentenced us to parting,

after which the yearning lover forgot life’s sweetness.

After which the yearning lover forgot the sweetness of his life.

يَقِرُّ لِعَيني أَن يَهَبَّ نَسيمُكُم

يَقِرُّ لِعَيني أَن يَهَبَّ نَسيمُكُم

فَأَنشُقُ نَشرَ القُربِ مِن نَفَحاتِهِ

فَأَنشُقُ نَشرَ القُربِ مِن نَفَحاتِهِ

It would delight my eyes if your breeze were to stir,

It soothes my eye when your breeze blows,

that I might breathe reunion’s perfume from its waftings.

So I inhale the fragrance of nearness from its wafts.

فَأَصبو وَلي قَلبٌ أَقَلَّ ولوعِهِ

فَأَصبو وَلي قَلبٌ أَقَلَّ ولوعِهِ

بِقَلبِكُم ما حازَ حَدُّ صِفاتِهِ

بِقَلبِكُم ما حازَ حَدُّ صِفاتِهِ

Then I yearn—with a heart whose slightest ardor

So I yearn, with a heart whose slightest passion

for yours surpasses all the bounds of description.

For your heart lies beyond the bounds of its description.

سَقى اللَهُ رَبعاً بِالمُحَصَّبِ طالَما

سَقى اللَهُ رَبعاً بِالمُحَصَّبِ طالَما

جَنَينا ثِمارَ الوَصلِ في عَرصاتِهِ

جَنَينا ثِمارَ الوَصلِ في عَرصاتِهِ

May God water an abode at al-Muhassab, where so often

May God water a dwelling at al-Muḥaṣṣab, where so often

we gathered the fruits of union in its courtyards.

We gathered the fruits of union in its open grounds.

يُجَدِّدُ لي تَذكارُه كُلَّ لَوعَةٍ

يُجَدِّدُ لي تَذكارُه كُلَّ لَوعَةٍ

يَذوبُ عَلَيها القَلبُ دونَ حَصاتِهِ

يَذوبُ عَلَيها القَلبُ دونَ حَصاتِهِ

Remembering it renews in me every burning pang,

Its remembrance renews every burning pang for me,

at which the heart melts, though its self-command does not.

At which the heart melts, though not its reason.

وَما أَمَّ فَرخٍ عايَنَتهُ وَصائِدٌ

وَما أَمَّ فَرخٍ عايَنَتهُ وَصائِدٌ

يَحومُ عَلَيهِ بِاِقتِناصِ بُزاتِهِ

يَحومُ عَلَيهِ بِاِقتِناصِ بُزاتِهِ

Never do I pass a fledgling I have seen, with a hunter

And no fledgling's mother, seeing it while a hunter

circling above it, seeking to seize it with his falcons,

Circles around it, hunting with his hawks,

بِأَكثَر مِن وَجدي عَلَيكَ وَإِنَّما

بِأَكثَر مِن وَجدي عَلَيكَ وَإِنَّما

أُكَتِّمُ سِرَّ الحُبِّ خَوف وُشاتِهِ

أُكَتِّمُ سِرَّ الحُبِّ خَوف وُشاتِهِ

in grief greater than my longing for you—yet I only

Feels greater anguish than I feel for you; I only

conceal love’s secret, for fear of its talebearers.

Conceal love's secret for fear of its slanderers.