رَأى البَرقَ شَرقِيّاً فَحَنَّ إِلى الشَرقِ

رَأى البَرقَ شَرقِيّاً فَحَنَّ إِلى الشَرقِ

وَلَو لاحَ غَربِيّاً لَحَنَّ إِلى الغَربِ

وَلَو لاحَ غَربِيّاً لَحَنَّ إِلى الغَربِ

He saw the lightning in the east, so he yearned for the east;

He saw the lightning flash in the east, so he leaned towards the east

And had it flashed in the west, he would have yearned for the west.

And had it shone in the west, he would have leaned towards the west

فَإِنَّ غَرامي بِالبُرَيقِ وَلَمحِهِ

فَإِنَّ غَرامي بِالبُرَيقِ وَلَمحِهِ

وَلَيسَ غَرامي بِالأَماكِنِ وَالتُربِ

وَلَيسَ غَرامي بِالأَماكِنِ وَالتُربِ

For my passion is for the little flash of lightning and its gleam,

For my passion is for lightning and its gleam

And my passion is not for places or soil.

Not for places and dust

رَوَتهُ الصَبا عَنهُم حَديثاً مُعَنعناً

رَوَتهُ الصَبا عَنهُم حَديثاً مُعَنعناً

عَنِ البَثِّ عَن وَجدي عَنِ الحُزنِ عِن كَربي

عَنِ البَثِّ عَن وَجدي عَنِ الحُزنِ عِن كَربي

The east wind related it from them, a report with a chain of narrators:

The morning breeze narrated to them indirectly

From anguish, from my ecstasy, from sorrow, from my distress;

Of ecstasy, of my love, of my sorrow, of my distress

عَنِ السُكرِ عَن عَقلي عَنِ الشَوقِ عَن جَوىً

عَنِ السُكرِ عَن عَقلي عَنِ الشَوقِ عَن جَوىً

عَنِ الدَمعِ عَن جَفني عَنِ النارِ عَن قَلبي

عَنِ الدَمعِ عَن جَفني عَنِ النارِ عَن قَلبي

From intoxication, from my reason, from longing, from burning heartache;

Of intoxication, of my reason, of yearning, of my bosom

From tears, from my eyelid, from fire, from my heart:

Of tears, of my eyelids, of fire, of my heart

بِأَنَّ الَّذي تَهواهُ بَينَ ضُلوعِكُم

بِأَنَّ الَّذي تَهواهُ بَينَ ضُلوعِكُم

تُقَلِّبُهُ الأَنفاسُ جَنباً إِلى جَنبِ

تُقَلِّبُهُ الأَنفاسُ جَنباً إِلى جَنبِ

That the one you love is between your ribs,

That the one whom you love in your chest

The breaths turn him from side to side.

The breaths turn him over from side to side

فَقُلتُ لَها بَلِّغ إِليهِ بِأَنَّهُ

فَقُلتُ لَها بَلِّغ إِليهِ بِأَنَّهُ

هُوَ الموقِدُ النارِ الَّتي داخِلَ القَلبِ

هُوَ الموقِدُ النارِ الَّتي داخِلَ القَلبِ

So I said to her, 'Tell him that he

So I told her, convey to him that

is the one who kindles the fire within the heart.

He is the one who lit the fire inside my heart

فَإِن كانَ إِطفاءٌ فَوَصلٌ مُخَلَّدٌ

فَإِن كانَ إِطفاءٌ فَوَصلٌ مُخَلَّدٌ

وَإِن كانَ إِحراقٌ فَلا ذَنبَ لِلصَبِّ

وَإِن كانَ إِحراقٌ فَلا ذَنبَ لِلصَبِّ

So if there is quenching, there is everlasting union;

If it is extinguishing, then it is an eternal connection

And if there is burning, the lovesick lover bears no blame.'

And if it is burning, then the morning breeze is not to blame