أجِب قد دعاكَ الجِسمُ إن كنتَ لا تدري

أجِب قد دعاكَ الجِسمُ إن كنتَ لا تدري

ألا إن إخواني أباحت حمى وَكري

ألا إن إخواني أباحت حمى وَكري

Answer—my body has called you, if you do not know.

Answer if your body has called you, if you do not know

Behold, my brothers have laid open the sanctuary of my nest.

Verily, my brothers have made lawful my sanctuary and den

ولم أشك ما بالقلب مما أرى به

ولم أشك ما بالقلب مما أرى به

من الشوقِ حتى كاد يخرجُ من صدري

من الشوقِ حتى كاد يخرجُ من صدري

Nor did I complain of what was in my heart, of what I felt within it,

And I did not doubt what was in my heart from what I see in it

of longing, until it nearly burst from my chest.

Of longing, until it almost came out of my chest

إذا زفرةٌ غصَّت فؤادي بحسرةٍ

إذا زفرةٌ غصَّت فؤادي بحسرةٍ

بعثت بها من مقلتي عبرةً تجري

بعثت بها من مقلتي عبرةً تجري

Whenever a sigh choked my heart with anguish,

When a sigh was stuffed in my heart with sadness

with it I sent a tear flowing from my eye.

I sent it from my eyelashes as tears that flow

وهل يقدر المحزون إلا على الرضا

وهل يقدر المحزون إلا على الرضا

وحسبُ اشتياقي إذ هتكتُ له ستري

وحسبُ اشتياقي إذ هتكتُ له ستري

And can the sorrowful do anything but resign themselves?

And can the grieved do anything but accept?

And my longing suffices, since I have torn my veil for it.

It is enough that I long for him since I have uncovered my veil for him

أبيت كأن الليلَ قال لنجمهِ

أبيت كأن الليلَ قال لنجمهِ

أقِم لا تجب داعي الصباحِ ولا تسرِ

أقِم لا تجب داعي الصباحِ ولا تسرِ

I pass the night as though the night had said to its star:

I refused as if the night said to its star

Stay; do not answer the herald of morning, nor journey on.

Stay, do not answer the caller of dawn or travel

وأضحى جديدُ الهم والشوق بالياً

وأضحى جديدُ الهم والشوق بالياً

ولا أحسبُ الآفاتِ إلا من الهجرِ

ولا أحسبُ الآفاتِ إلا من الهجرِ

And fresh grief and longing have grown threadbare,

And new grief and longing have become burdensome in the morning

and I believe afflictions come only from estrangement.

And I do not account for afflictions except from separation