أفدي نهاراً طلعتِ فيه

أفدي نهاراً طلعتِ فيه

نجم جمالٍ ونجم سعد

نجم جمالٍ ونجم سعد

I would give myself for the day on which you rose—

I would give my life for the day on which you rose,

a star of beauty and a star of good fortune.

a star of beauty and a star of good fortune.

إني لهذي العيون عبدٌ

إني لهذي العيون عبدٌ

والدهر إما رضيتِ عبدي

والدهر إما رضيتِ عبدي

I am a slave to these eyes,

I am a slave to these eyes,

and Time itself, if you are pleased, is my slave.

and time, if ever you are pleased, is my slave.

إن كان عيدٌ به ووردٌ

إن كان عيدٌ به ووردٌ

فأنت عيدي وأنت وردي

فأنت عيدي وأنت وردي

If my feast on that day is my own coming into being,

If it holds a festival and roses,

then you are my feast, and you are my rose.

then you are my festival, and you are my roses.

يا خير من مرَّ في وجودي

يا خير من مرَّ في وجودي

إنك كلُّ الوجود عندي

إنك كلُّ الوجود عندي

O best of all who have passed through my life,

O best of those who have passed through my life,

you are the whole of existence to me.

you are all existence to me.

عندي خَفِيٌّ من الأماني

عندي خَفِيٌّ من الأماني

أضعافَ ما جئتُ فيهِ أُبدي

أضعافَ ما جئتُ فيهِ أُبدي

Hidden within me are hopes

I harbor hidden wishes,

many times greater than what I came here to reveal.

many times more than I have come to reveal in it.

معذرةً في القليل إني

معذرةً في القليل إني

والله أعيا الكثيرُ جُهدي

والله أعيا الكثيرُ جُهدي

Forgive this scant offering; truly,

Forgive the little I offer; indeed,

by God, the abundance has exhausted my powers.

by God, the abundance has defeated my efforts.

يا فتنتي والهوى ديونٌ

يا فتنتي والهوى ديونٌ

حسبيَ أَني له أؤدّي

حسبيَ أَني له أؤدّي

O my enchantress, love is a burden of debts;

O my enchantment—and love is debts—

it is enough for me that I pay love its due.

it is enough for me that I pay it its due.

ما أنت من أنت هل مجيبٌ

ما أنت من أنت هل مجيبٌ

على سُؤالٍ بغير رَدّ

على سُؤالٍ بغير رَدّ

What are you? Who are you? Is there one who can answer

What are you? Who are you? Is there anyone to respond

a question beyond all reply?

to a question with no reply?

لم يخلق الله من جمالٍ

لم يخلق الله من جمالٍ

يلفُّه في سَنِيِّ بُرد

يلفُّه في سَنِيِّ بُرد

God has created no beauty

God has created no beauty

and wrapped it in so radiant a mantle—

that is wrapped in a radiant cloak

حسنٌ قُصاراه من شفاهٍ

حسنٌ قُصاراه من شفاهٍ

عطرُ ثناءٍ وطيبُ حمد

عطرُ ثناءٍ وطيبُ حمد

a beauty whose utmost hope from your lips

by loveliness that draws from lips no more than

is praise’s perfume and commendation’s sweetness.

the fragrance of praise and the sweet scent of acclaim.

ويخلق الله معجزاتٍ

ويخلق الله معجزاتٍ

يجمعها كلَّها بفرد

يجمعها كلَّها بفرد

And God creates miracles

And God creates miracles,

and gathers them all in a single person:

gathering them all in a single person,

كسحر عينيك كيد باغٍ

كسحر عينيك كيد باغٍ

وسحر عينيك للتحدّي

وسحر عينيك للتحدّي

like the spell of your eyes—the guile of an assailant—

like the spell of your eyes—an aggressor's guile—

and the spell of your eyes, made for defiance.

and the spell of your eyes in defiance.