لَيتَ شِعري عَن لَيتَ شِعرَكَ هذا

لَيتَ شِعري عَن لَيتَ شِعرَكَ هذا

أَبِهَزلٍ تَقولُهُ أَم بِجدِّ

أَبِهَزلٍ تَقولُهُ أَم بِجدِّ

I wonder about this wondering of yours:

I wish I knew, “I wish I knew,” is this

Do you say it in jest or in earnest?

Said jestingly or in earnest?

فَلَعَمري إِن كانَ قَولُكَ فيما

فَلَعَمري إِن كانَ قَولُكَ فيما

قُلتَ حَقّاً لَقَد تَعَتَّيت بَعدي

قُلتَ حَقّاً لَقَد تَعَتَّيت بَعدي

For, by my life, if what you have

By my life! If what you said

said is true, you have indeed gone to extremes after me,

Was true, after me you have yearned

وَتَشَبَّهت بي وَكُنتُ أرى أَن

وَتَشَبَّهت بي وَكُنتُ أرى أَن

نِي العاشِقُ المُتَيَّمُ وَحدي

نِي العاشِقُ المُتَيَّمُ وَحدي

And you have imitated me; I had thought that

And resembled me, while I thought

I alone was the lover enslaved by love.

I alone the suffering lover be.

أَترُكُ القَصدَ في الأُمورِ وَلَولا

أَترُكُ القَصدَ في الأُمورِ وَلَولا

غَمراتُ الهَوى لَأَبصَرتُ قَصدي

غَمراتُ الهَوى لَأَبصَرتُ قَصدي

I forsake moderation in my affairs; were it not for

I abandon moderation in affairs, and were it not

the engulfing depths of passion, I would discern my proper course.

For the floods of passion, my course I would see.

لا أُحِبُّ الَّذي يَلومُ وَإِن كا

لا أُحِبُّ الَّذي يَلومُ وَإِن كا

نَ حَريصاً عَلى صَلاحي وَرُشدي

نَ حَريصاً عَلى صَلاحي وَرُشدي

I do not love the one who reproaches me, even if

I love not him who blames me, though he

he is intent on my welfare and sound judgment.

Be zealous for my welfare and guidance.

وَأُحِبُّ الأَخَ المُشارِكَ في الحُب

وَأُحِبُّ الأَخَ المُشارِكَ في الحُب

بِ وَإِن لَم يَكُن بِهِ مِثلُ وَجدي

بِ وَإِن لَم يَكُن بِهِ مِثلُ وَجدي

And I love the brother who shares in love,

And I love a brother who shares with me in love

even if he feels no longing like mine.

Though he match not my fervor and rapture,

كَصَديقي أَبي عَلِيَّ وَحاشا

كَصَديقي أَبي عَلِيَّ وَحاشا

لِصَديقي مِن مِثلِ شِقوَة جَدّي

لِصَديقي مِن مِثلِ شِقوَة جَدّي

Like my friend Abu Ali—and may

Like my friend Abu ‘Ali - far from my friend

my friend be spared anything like the misery of my lot.

Be misfortune like that of my ancestor!

إِنَّ مَولايَ عَبدُ غَيري وَلَولا

إِنَّ مَولايَ عَبدُ غَيري وَلَولا

شُؤمُ جَدّي لَكانَ مَولايَ عَبدي

شُؤمُ جَدّي لَكانَ مَولايَ عَبدي

Indeed, my master is another's slave; were it not for

My master is other than I, and but for

my ill fortune, my master would be my slave.

The ill-luck of my ancestor, my master I would be.

سَيِّدي سَيِّدي وَمَولايَ مَن أَل

سَيِّدي سَيِّدي وَمَولايَ مَن أَل

بَسَني ذِلَّةً وَأَضرَع خَدّي

بَسَني ذِلَّةً وَأَضرَع خَدّي

My lord—my lord and master—is the one who

My master, my master and lord! He who clothed me

clothed me in abasement and humbled my cheek.

In abasement and bowed my head!