خليلى انى في الغرام أسير

خليلى انى في الغرام أسير

فهل منكما لى مسعد ومجير

فهل منكما لى مسعد ومجير

My two friends, I am a captive of love.

My friend, I am a prisoner of love

Then can either of you aid and shelter me?

Is there any helper or supporter among you?

دعوتكما والمرء يدعو خليله

دعوتكما والمرء يدعو خليله

اذا نابه خطب وقل نصير

اذا نابه خطب وقل نصير

I called upon you both; a man calls upon his friend

I called upon you while a person calls upon his friend

when calamity befalls him and a helper is scarce.

When an adversity befalls him, hoping for aid

فانكما أوفى البرية ذمة

فانكما أوفى البرية ذمة

وانى بنصر منكما لجدير

وانى بنصر منكما لجدير

For you two are the most faithful of all people to your pledges,

For you two are the most faithful of promises

and I am surely worthy of help from you both.

And I am worthy of your support

وها أنذا أملى مصابى عليكما

وها أنذا أملى مصابى عليكما

وهيهات شرح النائبات عسير

وهيهات شرح النائبات عسير

And here I am, recounting my affliction to you both;

And here I am, confiding my troubles to you

and alas, describing calamities is hard.

Alas explaining afflictions is difficult

رميت بسهم قاتل وأنا امرؤ

رميت بسهم قاتل وأنا امرؤ

كما تعلمانى بالغرام غرير

كما تعلمانى بالغرام غرير

I was struck by a deadly arrow, though I am a man

I shot a deadly arrow while I was

unversed in love, as you both know.

As you know, reckless in love

فلم أنتبه الا وقلبى متيم

فلم أنتبه الا وقلبى متيم

يطوف به داعى الهوى ويدور

يطوف به داعى الهوى ويدور

So I became aware only when my heart was enslaved by love;

I did not realize until my heart was afflicted

the herald of passion circles and revolves around it.

Roaming with the caller of passion revolving around

وجسمى كما شاء الجوى متمزق

وجسمى كما شاء الجوى متمزق

وعينى كما شاءالغرام تفور

وعينى كما شاءالغرام تفور

And my body is torn apart, as love's anguish has willed,

And my body is torn as the air wished

and my eye gushes forth, as love has willed.

And my eyes pouring as the love wished

على أن خصمى شاهد لى بعمده

على أن خصمى شاهد لى بعمده

ألا فاسألاه انه لخبير

ألا فاسألاه انه لخبير

Yet my adversary testifies on my behalf that he acted deliberately;

Yet my opponent bore witness from his distance

listen—ask him, both of you: he knows full well.

So ask him for he is well informed

رآنى غريبا مفردا بين أسرتى

رآنى غريبا مفردا بين أسرتى

فأيقن انى بالخمول شهير

فأيقن انى بالخمول شهير

He saw me a stranger, alone among my family,

He saw me lonely amongst my family

so he knew for certain I was renowned for obscurity.

So he was certain I am renowned for my inaction

فجار كما قد شاء فى عسف ظلمه

فجار كما قد شاء فى عسف ظلمه

علي وبعض القادرين يجور

علي وبعض القادرين يجور

So he acted unjustly, as he pleased, in his harsh oppression

Then he transgressed the limits in his unjust tyranny

of me—and some of the powerful act unjustly.

And some powerful ones did injustice

وهذا جرى والحمدلله أنتما

وهذا جرى والحمدلله أنتما

وليان ثارى والولى جسور

وليان ثارى والولى جسور

And this has happened—and, praise be to God, you two are

And this happened, praise be to God, you two

the guardians of my vengeance, and a guardian is bold.

Are my defenders and the guardian is courageous

على أننى لا أشتكى الحب جازعا

على أننى لا أشتكى الحب جازعا

فكيف وأدواء الغرام سرور

فكيف وأدواء الغرام سرور

Yet I do not complain of love in dismay;

However I do not complain of love in agony

how could I, when love's ailments are a joy?

So how can the ailments of passion be bliss

ولكنها الاشواق لا شك تقتضى

ولكنها الاشواق لا شك تقتضى

رسائل شكوى للرفاق تزور

رسائل شكوى للرفاق تزور

But it is longing that, without doubt, calls for

But yearnings certainly require

letters of complaint that visit friends.

Letters of complaint to be sent to friends