من سَبْيِ سيبِكَ مِمَّا أنْبَتَتْ نِعَمُكَ

من سَبْيِ سيبِكَ مِمَّا أنْبَتَتْ نِعَمُكَ

من دُرِّ بَحْرِكَ مِمَّا عَمَّهُ كَرَمُكْ

من دُرِّ بَحْرِكَ مِمَّا عَمَّهُ كَرَمُكْ

I am of the captives of your bounty, of all your favors brought to bloom,

I am among the captives of your bounty, among what your blessings have brought forth,

Of the pearls of your sea, of all your generosity embraced.

Among the pearls of your sea, among what your generosity has embraced,

حَتَّى أَتيتُكَ طِيباً طابَ مرتَعُهُ

حَتَّى أَتيتُكَ طِيباً طابَ مرتَعُهُ

وَسْطَ الرِّياضِ الَّتِي جادَتْ لَهَا دِيَمُكْ

وَسْطَ الرِّياضِ الَّتِي جادَتْ لَهَا دِيَمُكْ

Until I came to you as fragrance, sweetened by the pasture where it grew,

Until I came to you as perfume whose pasture grew sweet,

Amid the gardens upon which your lasting rains poured.

Amid the gardens upon which your steady rains poured generously;

أَو كوكباً من نجومِ الحسنِ مطلَعُهُ

أَو كوكباً من نجومِ الحسنِ مطلَعُهُ

جَوُّ السَّماءِ الَّتِي مِنْ فَوْقِها هِمَمُكْ

جَوُّ السَّماءِ الَّتِي مِنْ فَوْقِها هِمَمُكْ

Or as a star among the constellations of beauty, whose rising-place

Or as a star among beauty's stars, whose rising-place

Was heaven’s expanse, above which soar your aspirations.

Is heaven's expanse, above which rise your aspirations.

من رِيقَتِي المِسْكُ بَلْ رَيَّاهُ من أَرَجِي

من رِيقَتِي المِسْكُ بَلْ رَيَّاهُ من أَرَجِي

كَأَنَّما صافَحَتْنِي بالضُّحى شِيَمُكْ

كَأَنَّما صافَحَتْنِي بالضُّحى شِيَمُكْ

Musk comes from my mouth—rather, its perfume comes from my own scent,

From my saliva comes musk—nay, its scent comes from my fragrance,

As though your noble qualities had clasped my hand at morning.

As though your virtues had clasped my hand at midmorning.

والغُصْنُ يَسْرِقُ من قَدِّي تَثَنِّيَهُ

والغُصْنُ يَسْرِقُ من قَدِّي تَثَنِّيَهُ

رقصاً وحَاشا لَهُ مِمَّنْ غَدَتْ نِعَمُكْ

رقصاً وحَاشا لَهُ مِمَّنْ غَدَتْ نِعَمُكْ

The bough steals all its swaying from my figure,

And the bough steals its sway from my stature,

Dancing—though how unlike one whom your favors have claimed.

Dancing—yet far be it from it to rob one nourished by your blessings.

أَقولُ لِلْصُّبْحِ والدُّنْيا تُنيرُ بِهِ

أَقولُ لِلْصُّبْحِ والدُّنْيا تُنيرُ بِهِ

يَا صُبْحُ مَنْ يَرَ وَجْهِي فَهْوَ مُتَّهِمُكْ

يَا صُبْحُ مَنْ يَرَ وَجْهِي فَهْوَ مُتَّهِمُكْ

I say to dawn as through it the world grows bright:

I say to the dawn, as the world shines by its light:

“O dawn, whoever sees my face will accuse you.”

O dawn, whoever sees my face will accuse you.

وكم دَعَوْتُ وجُنحُ الليلِ مُنْسَدِلٌ

وكم دَعَوْتُ وجُنحُ الليلِ مُنْسَدِلٌ

يَا لَيْلُ شَعْرِيَ يَغْشَى الليلَ أَمْ ظُلَمُكْ

يَا لَيْلُ شَعْرِيَ يَغْشَى الليلَ أَمْ ظُلَمُكْ

How often I called while the wing of night hung low:

And how often I have called, while night's darkness hung down:

“O night, does my hair veil the night, or does your darkness?”

O night, does my hair cover the night, or does your darkness?

وربَّ برقٍ خَبا لما هَتَفْتُ بِهِ

وربَّ برقٍ خَبا لما هَتَفْتُ بِهِ

هيهاتَ من مَبْسِمِي يَا برقُ مُبْتَسَمُكْ

هيهاتَ من مَبْسِمِي يَا برقُ مُبْتَسَمُكْ

Many a flash of lightning died when I called to it:

And many a lightning flash faded when I called to it:

“Far from it, O lightning—what is your smile beside my mouth?”

Far from my smiling lips, O lightning, is your smile!

بدائِعٌ تقتضِي حَقِّي لَدَيْكَ وَقَدْ

بدائِعٌ تقتضِي حَقِّي لَدَيْكَ وَقَدْ

رأَيتُ آمالَ أَهلِ الأَرْضِ تَقْتَسِمُكْ

رأَيتُ آمالَ أَهلِ الأَرْضِ تَقْتَسِمُكْ

These wonders press my rightful claim upon you, though

These marvels claim my due from you, and already

I have seen the hopes of all earth’s people contending for you.

I have seen the hopes of earth's people divide you among themselves.

لعلَّ عطفَكَ يَا مولايَ يأْذَنُ لِي

لعلَّ عطفَكَ يَا مولايَ يأْذَنُ لِي

فِي وَضْعِ خَدِّيَ حَيْثُ اسْتَوْطَأَتْ قَدَمُكْ

فِي وَضْعِ خَدِّيَ حَيْثُ اسْتَوْطَأَتْ قَدَمُكْ

Perhaps your kindness, my lord, will permit me

Perhaps your kindness, my lord, will permit me

To lay my cheek where your foot has trodden,

To lay my cheek where your foot has trodden,

وتَبْلُوَ السِّرَّ من قولٍ يُرَدِّدُهُ

وتَبْلُوَ السِّرَّ من قولٍ يُرَدِّدُهُ

إِلَيْكَ قَلْبِيَ لا يَعْيا بِهِ فَهَمُكْ

إِلَيْكَ قَلْبِيَ لا يَعْيا بِهِ فَهَمُكْ

And to sound the secret in words that

And you to probe the secret of words repeated

My heart repeats to you—your understanding will not fail to grasp them.

To you by my heart—your understanding will not be baffled by them:

ما شَيَّدَ الكُفْرُ حِصْناً من بلادِهِمُ

ما شَيَّدَ الكُفْرُ حِصْناً من بلادِهِمُ

إِلّا ليخقِقَ فِي أَبراجِهِ عَلَمُكْ

إِلّا ليخقِقَ فِي أَبراجِهِ عَلَمُكْ

Unbelief built no fortress in their lands

Unbelief has built no fortress in their lands

But that your banner might fly upon its towers.

Except for your banner to flutter upon its towers;

ولا تَذَوَّقَ طَعْمَ الأَمْنِ ذو حَذَرٍ

ولا تَذَوَّقَ طَعْمَ الأَمْنِ ذو حَذَرٍ

من النَّوائِبِ حَتَّى ضَمَّهُ حَرَمُكْ

من النَّوائِبِ حَتَّى ضَمَّهُ حَرَمُكْ

No wary soul ever tasted the savor of safety

Nor has anyone tasted the savor of safety while fearful

From calamities until your sanctuary enfolded him.

Of calamities, until your sanctuary embraced him;

ولا تَعَذَّرَ من طالَبْتَ مُهْجَتَهُ

ولا تَعَذَّرَ من طالَبْتَ مُهْجَتَهُ

ولا تَمَنَّعَ إِلّا من حَمَتْ ذِمَمُكْ

ولا تَمَنَّعَ إِلّا من حَمَتْ ذِمَمُكْ

No one whose life you sought ever proved beyond reach,

Nor has anyone whose lifeblood you demanded proved beyond reach,

And none found protection save those your covenants protected.

Nor held out, except those your pledges of protection sheltered;

ولا تَنَسَّمَ من عاداكَ مَنْفَسَهُ

ولا تَنَسَّمَ من عاداكَ مَنْفَسَهُ

حَتَّى تَحِلَّ بأَقصى دارِهِ نِقَمُكْ

حَتَّى تَحِلَّ بأَقصى دارِهِ نِقَمُكْ

No enemy of yours ever drew a breath of respite

Nor has anyone who opposed you found breathing space

Before your vengeance reached the farthest part of his home.

Before your vengeance alights in his abode's farthest reaches.