أَبى اللَهُ ما لِلعاشِقينَ عَزاءُ

أَبى اللَهُ ما لِلعاشِقينَ عَزاءُ

وَما لِلمِلاحِ الغانِياتِ وَفاءُ

وَما لِلمِلاحِ الغانِياتِ وَفاءُ

God has refused—lovers have no consolation.

The lovers find no solace as ordained by God,

Nor do the fair beauties keep faith.

Nor loyalty from the fair singing girls.

تَرَكنَ نُفوساً نَحوَهُنَّ صَوادِياً

تَرَكنَ نُفوساً نَحوَهُنَّ صَوادِياً

مُسِرّاتِ داءٍ ما لَهُنَّ دَواءُ

مُسِرّاتِ داءٍ ما لَهُنَّ دَواءُ

They have left souls thirsting for them,

They left souls as prey longing for them,

Concealing a sickness for which they have no cure.

Bearers of a malady that has no cure.

يَرِدنَ حِياضَ الماءِ لا يَستَطِعنَها

يَرِدنَ حِياضَ الماءِ لا يَستَطِعنَها

وَهُنَّ إِلى بَردِ الشَرابِ ظِماءُ

وَهُنَّ إِلى بَردِ الشَرابِ ظِماءُ

They approach the pools of water, but cannot reach them,

They approach watering places but cannot reach them,

While they thirst for the coolness of the drink.

Thirsty though they are for the coolness of drink.

وَجُنَّت بِأَطلالِ الدُجَيلِ وَمائِهِ

وَجُنَّت بِأَطلالِ الدُجَيلِ وَمائِهِ

وَكَم طَلَلٍ مِن خَلفِهِنَّ وَماءُ

وَكَم طَلَلٍ مِن خَلفِهِنَّ وَماءُ

And they went mad over Dujayl's ruins and its water,

They were maddened by the vestiges and waters

And how many ruins and waters lie behind them!

Of the abandoned abodes of the Dijla and the Mawa.

إِذا ما دَنَت مِن مَشرَعٍ قَعقَعَت لَها

إِذا ما دَنَت مِن مَشرَعٍ قَعقَعَت لَها

عِصِيٌّ وَقامَت زَأرَةٌ وَزُقاءُ

عِصِيٌّ وَقامَت زَأرَةٌ وَزُقاءُ

Whenever they approach a watering place, there rattle at them

When they approach a tent, staffs are brandished at them

Sticks, and a roar and a shriek rise up.

With shouts and screams rising all around.

خَليلَيَّ بِاللَهِ الَّذي أَنتُما لَهُ

خَليلَيَّ بِاللَهِ الَّذي أَنتُما لَهُ

فَما الحُبُّ إِلّا أَنَّةٌ وَبُكاءُ

فَما الحُبُّ إِلّا أَنَّةٌ وَبُكاءُ

My two friends, by God, to whom you both belong:

O my two friends, by God who has claim over you,

For love is nothing but a moan and weeping,

Love is naught but sorrow and weeping.

كَما قَد أَرى قالا كَذاكَ وَرُبَّما

كَما قَد أَرى قالا كَذاكَ وَرُبَّما

يَكونُ سُرورٌ في الهَوى وَشَقاءُ

يَكونُ سُرورٌ في الهَوى وَشَقاءُ

As I see it. They both said: So it is; and sometimes

As I see, both said this, though haply

There is joy in passion, and misery.

In passion there may also be joy and woe.

لَقَد جَحَدَتني حَقَّ دَيني مَواطِلٌ

لَقَد جَحَدَتني حَقَّ دَيني مَواطِلٌ

وَصَلنَ عُداةً ما لَهُنَّ أَداءُ

وَصَلنَ عُداةً ما لَهُنَّ أَداءُ

Indeed, stalling women have denied me the debt rightfully owed me.

They denied me truly my due, those who make excuses,

They have joined themselves to enemies; they offer no repayment.

And joined foes who will never fulfill.

يُعَلِّلُني بِالوَعدِ أَدنَينَ وَقتَهُ

يُعَلِّلُني بِالوَعدِ أَدنَينَ وَقتَهُ

وَهَيهاتَ نَيلٌ بَعدَهُ وَعَطاءُ

وَهَيهاتَ نَيلٌ بَعدَهُ وَعَطاءُ

I am kept hoping with a promise; they have drawn its time near,

They put me off with a promise for the morrow

Yet far off lie any gain thereafter and any gift.

But alas, no gain after it, no gift.

فَدُمنَ عَلى مَنعي وَدُمتُ مُطالِباً

فَدُمنَ عَلى مَنعي وَدُمتُ مُطالِباً

وَلا شَيءَ إِلّا مَوعِدٌ وَرَجاءُ

وَلا شَيءَ إِلّا مَوعِدٌ وَرَجاءُ

So they persisted in withholding from me, and I persisted in demanding,

So they persisted in denying while I persisted requesting

And nothing but a promised time and hope.

Nothing left but a tryst and a hope.

حَلَفتُ لَقَد لاقَيتُ في الحُبِّ مِنهُمُ

حَلَفتُ لَقَد لاقَيتُ في الحُبِّ مِنهُمُ

أَخا المَوتِ مِن داءٍ فَأَينَ دَواءُ

أَخا المَوتِ مِن داءٍ فَأَينَ دَواءُ

I swore: in love I have indeed met, at their hands,

By God, in love I have met from them

Death's brother—a sickness—so where is a cure?

A kinship with death from a malady with no cure.