أرقت لبرقٍ من تهامة خافقٍ

أرقت لبرقٍ من تهامة خافقٍ

كأن سنا إيماضه قلب عاشق

كأن سنا إيماضه قلب عاشق

I lay sleepless at flickering lightning from Tihama,

I lay awake at the flash of lightning from Tihama,

as though the radiance of its flashing were a lover's heart.

Like the blinking of his eyes is a lover's heart,

يلوح فازداد اشتياقاً وما أرى

يلوح فازداد اشتياقاً وما أرى

يشوقني لولاك من ضوء بارق

يشوقني لولاك من ضوء بارق

It gleams, and my longing grows; yet I would see nothing

It shone and my yearning increased, though I did not see

in lightning's light to stir my longing, were it not for you.

What makes me yearn but you, O brilliant lightning,

متى تدن لا يملك لي الشوق لوعةً

متى تدن لا يملك لي الشوق لوعةً

وأن تنأ عني فالتوهم شائقي

وأن تنأ عني فالتوهم شائقي

Whenever you draw near, longing cannot cause me anguish;

When will you come close, for longing has no mastery over me,

and if you go far from me, imagining you stirs my longing.

And when you move away, imagining you entices me,

فرأيك في عبدٍ إليك مفره

فرأيك في عبدٍ إليك مفره

لتنعشه بالوصل قبل العوائق

لتنعشه بالوصل قبل العوائق

So give thought to a slave whose refuge is you,

So consider a slave of yours who has fled to you,

that you may revive him through union before obstacles arise.

To revive him with union before obstacles.