يا مَعشَرَ الناسِ حالي بَينَكُم عَجَبٌ

يا مَعشَرَ الناسِ حالي بَينَكُم عَجَبٌ

وَليسَ يَعلَمُ إِلّا اللَهُ كَيفَ أَنا

وَليسَ يَعلَمُ إِلّا اللَهُ كَيفَ أَنا

O company of people, my state among you is a wonder;

O people, my state among you is wondrous

And none but God knows how I am.

And none knows except Allah how I really am

أُحِبُّ سُمرَ القَنا مِن أَجلِ مُشُبِهِها

أُحِبُّ سُمرَ القَنا مِن أَجلِ مُشُبِهِها

لَونان وَأَحسُدُ حَتّى مَن بِها طُعَنا

لَونان وَأَحسُدُ حَتّى مَن بِها طُعَنا

I love the brown spear-shafts for the sake of one who resembles them

I love the dark-lipped girls for their resemblance

In color—and I envy even those pierced by them.

To the two colors, though I envy even those scolded for loving them

عَجِبتُ مِن حملِهِ لِلسَيفِ مُنتَصِراً

عَجِبتُ مِن حملِهِ لِلسَيفِ مُنتَصِراً

وَقَد حَوَت مُقلَتاهُ الهِندَ وَاليَمَنا

وَقَد حَوَت مُقلَتاهُ الهِندَ وَاليَمَنا

I marveled at his bearing a sword to prevail,

I am amazed that he carries the sword victoriously

Though his two eyes already held India and Yemen.

When his glances have encompassed India and Yemen

تَنامُ أَجفانُهُ المَرضى وَقاد زَعَموا

تَنامُ أَجفانُهُ المَرضى وَقاد زَعَموا

بِأَنَّ كُلَّ مَريضٍ يَعدِمُ الوَسَنا

بِأَنَّ كُلَّ مَريضٍ يَعدِمُ الوَسَنا

His ailing eyelids sleep, yet they have claimed

His sick eyelids sleep while they claim

That every sick person lacks slumber.

That every sick person lacks alertness

يَهوى خِلافي كَما أَهوى رِضاهُ فَإِن

يَهوى خِلافي كَما أَهوى رِضاهُ فَإِن

دَنَوتُ مِنهُ تَناءى أَو نَأَيتُ دَنا

دَنَوتُ مِنهُ تَناءى أَو نَأَيتُ دَنا

He loves opposing me as I love his favor; so if

He desires my opposition as I desire his approval, so if

I draw near him, he draws away; or if I withdraw, he draws near.

I drew near to him, he recoiled, or if I withdrew, he approached