يا راكبَ الفُلكِ والأفلاكُ تَهواهُ

يا راكبَ الفُلكِ والأفلاكُ تَهواهُ

وما هَدا الجَفْنُ والأجفانُ مَثْواهُ

وما هَدا الجَفْنُ والأجفانُ مَثْواهُ

O rider of the ship, whom the heavenly spheres adore,

O rider of ships and orbits that entice you,

And the ship has not grown still, though the eyelids are your abode.

Yet neither eyelid nor eyes find rest in them.

ها مُهْجَتِي فَهيَ فُلْكٌ رِيْحُهُ نَفَسِي

ها مُهْجَتِي فَهيَ فُلْكٌ رِيْحُهُ نَفَسِي

وبَحْرُهُ فَيْضُ دَمْعِي فَلْتَمطَّاهُ

وبَحْرُهُ فَيْضُ دَمْعِي فَلْتَمطَّاهُ

Behold my heart: it is a ship whose wind is my breath,

Behold my inner world, a ship blown by my breath,

and its sea is the flood of my tears—so ride it.

Its sea the outpouring of my tears - let it flood freely.

هَيْهاتَ سِرْ تحتَ لَحْظِ الحِفْظِ في دَعَةٍ

هَيْهاتَ سِرْ تحتَ لَحْظِ الحِفْظِ في دَعَةٍ

كان الأمينَ عليكَ الحافِظَ اللهُ

كان الأمينَ عليكَ الحافِظَ اللهُ

Alas! Travel beneath protection's gaze, at ease;

Alas the secret remains beneath the gaze of vigilance in serenity,

may God be your faithful guardian.

For God, the Trustworthy, was its caretaker.

نشَدْتُكَ اللهَ إمَّا رُدْتَ مُرْتَبَعاً

نشَدْتُكَ اللهَ إمَّا رُدْتَ مُرْتَبَعاً

بِسَبْتَةٍ يَسْتَمِيلُ النَّفْسَ مَرْآهُ

بِسَبْتَةٍ يَسْتَمِيلُ النَّفْسَ مَرْآهُ

I adjure you by God: if ever you seek a springtime retreat

I implore you by God, if you return erect

in Ceuta whose sight captivates the soul,

In the Shebta that captivates the soul with its view.

لا تَنْسَ عَهْدَ مُحِبٍّ أنتَ راحَتُهُ

لا تَنْسَ عَهْدَ مُحِبٍّ أنتَ راحَتُهُ

ورُوحُهُ وأقاصِي ما تَمنَّاهُ

ورُوحُهُ وأقاصِي ما تَمنَّاهُ

do not forget a lover's bond—you are his solace,

Do not forget the covenant of a lover whose comfort

and his soul, and the utmost of all he has wished for.

And spirit and farthest hopes lie in you.