أموت بدائي والدوا في يديكم

أحبة قلبي أنعموا بدوائي

I die of my illness, while the cure lies in your hands.

O beloveds of my heart, graciously grant me my cure.

إذا كان دائي أصله البعد عنكم

فان دوائي قربكم وشفائي

If my illness is rooted in distance from you,

then nearness to you is my remedy and my healing.

توالت كروبي مذ ضربت حجابكم

فهل من سبيل لي لكشف غطائي

My sorrows have followed one another since your veil was drawn;

is there, then, a way for me to lift my covering?

أطلتم بعادي بعد قرب ألفته

فعد يا زمان الوصل قبل فنائي

You have prolonged my separation after a nearness I had grown used to;

return, O time of union, before I perish.

لئن دام هذا الهجر منكم وفي الحشا

من الوجد ما فيها وردت ثرائي

If this estrangement from you lasts, while my breast

holds such longing, I shall descend into my grave's dust.

يعيرني من لم يجد ما وجدته

بما نالني من وحشة وضناء

One who has not felt what I have felt reproaches me

for the loneliness and wasting sickness that have befallen me.

وفي القلب شغل عن سماع أنتقاده

بتأميل وصل بعد طول تنائي

And my heart is too occupied to hear his criticism,

with hope of union after my long separation.

أقول لنفسي ساعيا في اختيارها

تسلى بدنيا عنهم ومناء

I say to my soul, seeking its preference:

'Find solace away from them in worldly life and wishes.'

فقالت أخلف بعد وعد وعدتني

بأيمن ذات البان يوم ونائي

She said, 'Would you break faith after the promise you made me

on the right of Dhat al-Ban, on the day of my languor?'

وقد أضرم البين المبرح ناره

فقلت سيطفي حره بلقائي

And agonizing separation had kindled its fire,

so I said, 'My reunion will quench its heat.'

ولما حدا بي حادي قاصدا

إليكم بجندي فطرتي وهوائي

And when my camel-driver urged me onward, heading

toward you with the two hosts of my nature and my desire,

دعتني إليها ذات مكر وحيلة

وقالت أنا المقصود ليس سوائي

one full of guile and cunning called me to herself,

and said, 'I am the goal, none but me.'

فأف لها خداعة لا تغرني

برونقها الممدود فوق خباء

Fie on her, that deceiver! She shall not beguile me

with her glitter stretched over a tent.

تنحى تنحى لاسلاماً ولا رضا

تريدين قطعي عن سبيل غنائي

Away, away! No greeting and no favor!

You wish to cut me off from the path to my wealth.

تحققت مطلوبي فأسرعت نحوه

فدام سروري واضمحل عنائي

I knew my goal with certainty, and hastened toward it.

So my joy endured, and my suffering vanished.

ودام شهودي واستمرت مواسمي

وطاب زماني واستتم صفائي

And my witnessing endured, and my seasons continued;

and my days grew sweet, and my serenity became complete.

يربي قيامي لا بنفسي ولا السوى

فشكري له سبحانه وثنائي

He sustains my being—not through myself or anything else;

so to Him be my thanks and praise—glory be to Him.