أَكُلُّ شاكٍ بداءِ الحُبِّ مُضْناكِ

أَكُلُّ شاكٍ بداءِ الحُبِّ مُضْناكِ

ماذا جَنَتْهُ عَلى العُشَّاقِ عَيْناكِ

ماذا جَنَتْهُ عَلى العُشَّاقِ عَيْناكِ

Is every sufferer from love's sickness one you have made languish?

Every lover worn down by love's affliction

What wrong have your eyes inflicted on lovers?

What did your eyes commit against lovers?

قدْ كانَ لِي عن سَبيل الحُبِّ مُنْصرَفٌ

قدْ كانَ لِي عن سَبيل الحُبِّ مُنْصرَفٌ

حَتَّى دَعَوْتِ لَهُ قَلْبي فَلَبَّاكِ

حَتَّى دَعَوْتِ لَهُ قَلْبي فَلَبَّاكِ

I once had a way to turn aside from love's path,

I had turned away from the path of love

until you called my heart to it, and it answered you.

Until you summoned my heart, so it obeyed you

أيْقَظْتِه لأساه ثُمّ نِمْتِ وَما

أيْقَظْتِه لأساه ثُمّ نِمْتِ وَما

بالَيْتِ إيَّاكِ شكوى الصَّبِّ إيّاكِ

بالَيْتِ إيَّاكِ شكوى الصَّبِّ إيّاكِ

You woke it to its sorrow, then slept, and did not

You awakened it, though it slept, yet you did not

care. Beware the ardent lover's complaint—beware!

blame it for complaining of wakefulness, you!

أحْيي ذَماي وما أتْلَفْتِ مِنْ رَمَقٍ

أحْيي ذَماي وما أتْلَفْتِ مِنْ رَمَقٍ

إنْ قلتُ عِطفاكِ قالا بَلْ دَلالاكِ

إنْ قلتُ عِطفاكِ قالا بَلْ دَلالاكِ

Revive my lingering life and whatever spark of life you have destroyed;

It brings my withered soul back to life, though not one breath remains,

if I say, "Your two sides," they reply, "Rather, your twin coy charms."

If I say it was kindness, no, but your coquetry!

كأنني لَسْتُ أدري مَنْ أراقَ دَمي

كأنني لَسْتُ أدري مَنْ أراقَ دَمي

واللهِ ما بفُؤادي غَيْرُ مَرْماكِ

واللهِ ما بفُؤادي غَيْرُ مَرْماكِ

As though I do not know who spilled my blood!

It's as if I don't know who shed my blood

By God, my heart bears only the mark of your shot.

By Allah, none but you dwells in my heart

أسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ لا أبْغِيكِ مَظْلَمَةً

أسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ لا أبْغِيكِ مَظْلَمَةً

فأنْتِ منِّيَ في حِلٍّ ومِنْ ذاكِ

فأنْتِ منِّيَ في حِلٍّ ومِنْ ذاكِ

I ask God's forgiveness; I seek no redress from you.

I ask God's forgiveness, I do you no wrong

For you are free of any claim from me, and of that wrong.

You have freedom with me, as for that other

كُلٌّ عَليَّ له جُنْدٌ مُجَنَّدَةٌ

كُلٌّ عَليَّ له جُنْدٌ مُجَنَّدَةٌ

يَكْفيكِ يا هِنْدُ أنّي بعضُ قَتْلاكِ

يَكْفيكِ يا هِنْدُ أنّي بعضُ قَتْلاكِ

Each has an army marshaled against me.

All have legions arrayed against me

It is enough for you, O Hind, that I am one of your slain.

It suffices you, O Hind, that I am one of your victims

كَيْفَ الخَلاصُ لِمثْلي مِنْ هَواكِ وَقَدْ

كَيْفَ الخَلاصُ لِمثْلي مِنْ هَواكِ وَقَدْ

رمىَ بيَ الوَجْدُ في أشراكِ أسْراكِ

رمىَ بيَ الوَجْدُ في أشراكِ أسْراكِ

How can one like me escape love of you, when

How can one like me escape your love when

passion has cast me into the snares that hold your captives?

Passion has cast me into the snares of your bonds?

أعْدَتْ جُفونُكِ قَلْبي حَيْرةً وضَنىً

أعْدَتْ جُفونُكِ قَلْبي حَيْرةً وضَنىً

فَهَلْ دليلٌ لقلبٍ حائرٍ شاكِ

فَهَلْ دليلٌ لقلبٍ حائرٍ شاكِ

Your eyelids have infected my heart with bewilderment and wasting sickness.

Your eyelids left my heart confused and full of yearning

Is there, then, a guide for a bewildered, ailing heart?

Is there any guide for a heart lost in doubt?

قَدْ كُنْتُ أطْمَعُ أنْ تَصْحُو صَبابَتُهُ

قَدْ كُنْتُ أطْمَعُ أنْ تَصْحُو صَبابَتُهُ

لو قَدْ صَحَتْ مِنْ حُمَيّا التِّيْهِ عِطْفاكِ

لو قَدْ صَحَتْ مِنْ حُمَيّا التِّيْهِ عِطْفاكِ

I had hoped its ardent longing might grow sober,

I had hoped that your youth might yet awaken

if your two sides had sobered from pride's intoxication.

If only your kindness had awakened from heedlessness

زَجَرْتُ فيكِ رَسُولَ الطرفِ عن نظَرٍ

زَجَرْتُ فيكِ رَسُولَ الطرفِ عن نظَرٍ

فهلْ عَلى القَلْبِ عَتْبٌ إنْ تَمَنَّاكِ

فهلْ عَلى القَلْبِ عَتْبٌ إنْ تَمَنَّاكِ

I held back the eye's messenger from looking at you;

I chided the messenger of your glance against looking

is the heart, then, to blame if it longs for you?

Can the heart be blamed if it longs for you?

يا طَلْعَةَ الحُسْنِ تَزْهُو في مَلابِسِهِ

يا طَلْعَةَ الحُسْنِ تَزْهُو في مَلابِسِهِ

رُحْماكِ في أنْفُسِ العُشَّاقِ رُحماكِ

رُحْماكِ في أنْفُسِ العُشَّاقِ رُحماكِ

O countenance of beauty, resplendent in its robes,

O rising moon of beauty, radiant in your garments

have mercy on lovers' souls—have mercy!

May your mercy dwell in the souls of lovers!

تِيْهي على الشَّمسِ واسْبي البَدْرَ مَطْلعَهُ

تِيْهي على الشَّمسِ واسْبي البَدْرَ مَطْلعَهُ

فإنَّما رَوْضةُ الدُّنيا مُحيَّاكِ

فإنَّما رَوْضةُ الدُّنيا مُحيَّاكِ

Vaunt yourself over the sun, and take the full moon captive at its rising,

Wander lost under the sun and eclipse the rising moon

for the world's garden is your face alone.

For the garden of life is only lit up by your visage

أقولُ والرَّوْضُ يُجْلَى في زَخارفهِ

أقولُ والرَّوْضُ يُجْلَى في زَخارفهِ

مَنْ عَلَّم الرَّوْضَ يَحكي حُسْنَ مَغناكِ

مَنْ عَلَّم الرَّوْضَ يَحكي حُسْنَ مَغناكِ

I say, as the garden is unveiled in its finery:

I say, and the garden glows with all its ornaments

Who taught the garden to imitate the beauty of your abode?

Who taught the garden to describe your beauty?

في فِيْكِ راحٌ وفي عِطْفَيْكِ هِزَّتُها

في فِيْكِ راحٌ وفي عِطْفَيْكِ هِزَّتُها

فَهَلْ تَثنِّيْكِ سُكْرٌ مِنْ ثَناياكِ

فَهَلْ تَثنِّيْكِ سُكْرٌ مِنْ ثَناياكِ

In your mouth is wine, and in your sides its swaying;

Serenity is in your mouth, in your glances its stirrings

is your swaying, then, intoxication from your front teeth?

Does tipsiness from your kisses make you sway?

أليْسَ مِنْ أعظمِ الأشياءِ مَوْجدةً

أليْسَ مِنْ أعظمِ الأشياءِ مَوْجدةً

أنْ تَضحكي بي وطَرْفِي دائِمٌ باكِ

أنْ تَضحكي بي وطَرْفِي دائِمٌ باكِ

Is it not one of the bitterest grievances

Is it not the sublimest of things

that you laugh at me while my eye forever weeps?

That you should laugh at me while my eyes are ever weeping?

وأقْطَعُ العُمْرَ مالي في سِواكِ هَوىً

وأقْطَعُ العُمْرَ مالي في سِواكِ هَوىً

ولَيْسَ لي مِنْكِ يَوْماً حَظُّ مِسْواكِ

ولَيْسَ لي مِنْكِ يَوْماً حَظُّ مِسْواكِ

And I spend my life with no love for anyone but you,

I spend a lifetime devoted to love for none but you

yet never receive from you even a tooth-stick's share.

Yet from you I've never had a day's joy in union

أُوْمي بفيِّ لِتَقْبيلِ الصَّبا وَلَهاً

أُوْمي بفيِّ لِتَقْبيلِ الصَّبا وَلَهاً

أقول شَوْقاً عَساها قَبَّلتْ فاكِ

أقول شَوْقاً عَساها قَبَّلتْ فاكِ

I gesture with my mouth to kiss the east wind, love-distraught;

I kiss the zephyr, crazily hoping it has kissed your mouth

I say in longing, "Perhaps it has kissed your mouth."

And I fill my breast with its breaths, inhaling from it your perfume

وأملأُ الصَّدْرَ من أنْفاسِها كَلفاً

وأملأُ الصَّدْرَ من أنْفاسِها كَلفاً

بِما أشُمُّ بها من طِيْبِ رَيَّاكِ

بِما أشُمُّ بها من طِيْبِ رَيَّاكِ

And I fill my breast with its breaths, enamored

Does wailing and moaning offer any consolation?

of the sweetness of your fragrance that I smell in it.

What is wailing and moaning without you?

هَلْ بالأُثَيْلِ وبانِ الجزعِ تَسْليةٌ

هَلْ بالأُثَيْلِ وبانِ الجزعِ تَسْليةٌ

وما الأُثَيْلُ وبانُ الجَزْع لَوْلاكِ

وما الأُثَيْلُ وبانُ الجَزْع لَوْلاكِ

Is there solace at al-Uthayl and among the bān trees of the valley bend?

I love him, though he is far away,

And what would al-Uthayl and the bān trees of the valley bend be without you?

And in truth I love none but you

إنّي لأَهْواهُ والثَّاوي بحِلَّتهِ

إنّي لأَهْواهُ والثَّاوي بحِلَّتهِ

ولَسْتُ أهوى على التَّحْقيقِ إِلّاكِ

ولَسْتُ أهوى على التَّحْقيقِ إِلّاكِ

I truly love it, and the one who dwells in its camp,

O you whose advent caused ribs to bow

yet in truth I love none but you.

I see you forget a youth who'll not forget you

يا مَنْ نأتْ وبأحنْاءِ الضُّلوع ثوَتْ

يا مَنْ نأتْ وبأحنْاءِ الضُّلوع ثوَتْ

تُراكِ تَنْسَيْنَ صَبّاً لَيْسَ يَنْساك

تُراكِ تَنْسَيْنَ صَبّاً لَيْسَ يَنْساك

O you who have gone far away yet dwell within the curves of my ribs,

By the secret of a beauty you are its grace

do you, I wonder, forget a lovesick lover who does not forget you?

If beauty were given human form, none would surpass you

أما وسِرُّ جَمالٍ أنْتِ رَوْنَقُهُ

أما وسِرُّ جَمالٍ أنْتِ رَوْنَقُهُ

لَو صُوِّرَ الحُسْنُ شَخْصاً ما تَعَدَّاكِ

لَو صُوِّرَ الحُسْنُ شَخْصاً ما تَعَدَّاكِ

Indeed, by the secret of beauty whose splendor you are,

Greet from afar one whose soul you revive

were beauty given human form, it would be none other than you.

Whenever the morning blows, it greets you

حَيِّي عَلى البُعْدِ تُحيي نَفْسَ ذي كَمَدٍ

حَيِّي عَلى البُعْدِ تُحيي نَفْسَ ذي كَمَدٍ

ما إنْ تَهُبُّ صَباً إِلّا وحَيّاكِ

ما إنْ تَهُبُّ صَباً إِلّا وحَيّاكِ

Greet me from afar; you will revive the soul of one in grief.

No east wind blows without greeting you.