1. The lightning of clouds flashed by,
Then folded away into the book.

2. Days of union like youth
Passed with the days of youth.

3. I was heedless of my youthful face
Until it was veiled with a veil.

4. And I forgot about the sun of youth
Until it disappeared behind the veil.

5. O days that delighted my youth!
Keep away from frivolity!

6. By God, days have passed
Between the loved ones and the lovers.

7. And a beauty like the full moon then appeared
Who settles with the does among the does.

8. If she were to move away from her meadows
The herd would feel the loss when she left it.

9. She grazes on my green livelihood with aloofness
Does she think it is some grass?

10. So every short-sighted one in cities, nay palaces,
Became like a player on one leg.

11. She got used to sleeping on hillocks until
She carried some hillocks in her robe.

12. The musk given away by her hands
Is exposed by traces of some scabies.

13. She is one who shows aloofness to the daughter of nobility
Yet meets her for the sake of some raisin.

14. She does not like wine in the cup
But likes the milk of good fortune in the little skin bag.

15. She counts dried meat as food, and who
Would desire it but the wolf if hungry?

16. The cheek prospered in beauty, and the waist
Exclusively in its meadows prospered in leanness.

17. She tortured me with her love, and that is sweet torture,
Woe to me from the bitter sweetness!

18. Many a night I spent with her, and the Pleiades
Saw me spend some of its rising stars with her.

19. The sides of the mouth almost perished
From my kissing and drinking from its water.

20. Ah! Woe to me for a time that deceived,
And an era that was unripe and wet.

21. That was a life, how ugly, O what a shame was my deed!
When I did not fulfill when my love was fulfilled.

22. I have nothing but my tears, which if
One saw my dryness, he would see them like my flood.

23. The stars of tears do not cease rising
Although I saw them set in the west.

24. I cry for what has passed, not for what is to come,
So O eye, do not weep pouring out.

25. The misfortunes of time have sickened me, but
The healing is with the Merciful against them.

26. Death, the burner of catastrophes,
Cares not when the winds of affliction blow.

27. One whom the world revolves around,
So do not be surprised if he remains still like a pole.

28. He has floods in hearts that are valleys,
And His grip is on necks that He dominates.

29. Every face bows down to Him, either
With prostration in obedience, or with dragging.

30. Awe made the turns of nights victorious,
So they are made triumphant through fright.

31. And splendors that revere the Majesty
Beyond descriptions except by negation.

32. Everyone who is narrowed by time,
Descends from His vast mercy.

33. He releases the captive, revives the glory of the degraded,
The strength of the fallen, provision of travelers.

34. They erred about the captives in His grip,
Rather those are clouds He pulls.

35. The spread of His generosity shone like rays,
And His forbearance extended like rain lasting long.

36. His guidance is always to divert
Mankind away from clamor and contention.

37. I gained the outer forms of happiness, while the Most Majestic obtained all the pith,
And He in every garden for great things,

38. Is obtaining some, while others are in collecting wood.
Acts of devotion have given Him honey, for which He is

39. A bee, so it's no wonder if a Bee produces honey.
Kings saw His love a duty, and no duty is like

40. The love of the Caller to righteousness.
And all crowns, if bound on Him,

41. Become like them through affiliation.
I have become rich with His views and with happiness

42. Away from blaming in tumult and contention.
Books that subjugate necks-but I never realized

43. That swords are among some books.
The miraculous words from Him covered the horizons,

44. At times with conduct, and times with exertion.
So if He traveled east, He and the sun,

45. He would meet it from the west before it.
I complain to You of what I cannot compute,

46. While You are enough for me in computation.
My ability fell short of complaining, but

47. I submit my grievance, not complaining.
I am in what may God protect You from,

48. In worries that indicate the wretchedness of my condition,
And injustices to my side. And how much

49. Stiff-neckedness that wrings my side!
I have no helper, no supporter, no confidante,

50. No lover, no family, no friend.
Some of me abandoned some of me until

51. My body disowned my heart.
Solitude, resignation, neediness,

52. Seizing opportunities, worries, and my hump.
I am dead; they have not buried me, for

53. Burying the righteous is in soil.
Every ease I see has become, in my regard,

54. Difficulty, so easy is like difficult.
And every enemy leaned on me,

55. Neither ceasing in my wounding nor my skinning.
The aim of this one is killing me, that one meeting me,

56. This one capturing me, that one robbing me.
How many foolish ones transgressed in insulting me

57. And did not find a deterrent from insulting me!
And how many liars about me were believed until

58. What they fabricated became like the truth in lies.
And enviers, it is said about the nightshade:

59. His body never leaves the nightshade.
I wonder why I am envied, O people,

60. While my condition is truly pitiful.
Is it my status, or my position, or my riches sufficing me,

61. Or overpowering my envier, or defeating him?
If my fortune has not come to life after death,

62. And my winds have not indicated any winds.
I would get what I wish if I had, with You,

63. Fortune-but fortune is not from my earning.
And close relatives of lineage disowned me,

64. No rather, they are scorpions in the chest.
They usurped my inheritance rights in the service,

65. Since their religion permits usurpation.
They are transgressors, breakers, flesh-eaters,

66. Not birds picking up seeds.
They claimed my wealth was theirs,

67. Coveting it after me and craving it before me.
They spoke the truth in their speech, for remoteness

68. Of closeness is evidence of remoteness of the heart.
I have rights, the least of which is to be rewarded

69. With the peace of rest, and safe pasture.
Where is my praise, where is my gratitude? Nay,

70. Where is my reverence-this and that my love?
What sin did I commit? Indeed excellent

71. Are the sins I committed, for I have come repentant of my sins.
A kind look and glance from You give me life,

72. And attain its reward from my Lord.
I am pleased with the nobility

73. That You make my striking other than this strike.
Through You my hand becomes without need,

74. And my hopes succeed, my wound is healed, and my hump rises.