لقدْ قالَ طرفى للفؤادِ شغلتني

لقدْ قالَ طرفى للفؤادِ شغلتني

فقالَ لهُ بلْ أنت باللحظِ شاغِلى

فقالَ لهُ بلْ أنت باللحظِ شاغِلى

Indeed, my eye said to the heart, 'You have distracted me.'

My eyes said to my heart, "You have preoccupied me!"

He replied, 'Rather, you distract me with your glances.

So it replied, "Rather, you with a glance preoccupy me!"

نظرتَ فأوريتَ الغرامَ بمهجتي

نظرتَ فأوريتَ الغرامَ بمهجتي

ولولاكَ لم أصبو لنلْكَ المنازلِ

ولولاكَ لم أصبو لنلْكَ المنازلِ

You looked and kindled passionate love within my soul;

You looked and ignited love within my innermost being,

and but for you, I would not yearn for those abodes.'

And were it not for you, I would not yearn for your dwellings.

فقال له أنتَ المحرِّكُ للهوَى

فقال له أنتَ المحرِّكُ للهوَى

فأرسلتني أَرْنُو إلى كلِّ طائلِ

فأرسلتني أَرْنُو إلى كلِّ طائلِ

He said to him, 'You are the one who stirs desire,

So it said to him, "You are the one who motivates passion,

so you sent me to gaze at everything worth seeking.

Thus you sent me to pine for every inaccessible object!"

لأنكَ سلطانُ الجوارح كلِّها

لأنكَ سلطانُ الجوارح كلِّها

مِن الجسم فاحفظْ سيدي كلَّ عامِلِ

مِن الجسم فاحفظْ سيدي كلَّ عامِلِ

For you are sovereign over all the organs

For you are the sultan over all my limbs,

of the body; so, my master, guard every working member.'

So preserve, my lord, every worker from my body!

فقالَ لهُ لو لم تكنْ أنتَ نَاظرٌ

فقالَ لهُ لو لم تكنْ أنتَ نَاظرٌ

لما صرتُ مهموماً حليفَ المشاغلِ

لما صرتُ مهموماً حليفَ المشاغلِ

He said to him, 'Had you not been looking,

So it said to him, "Were you not a viewer,

I would not have become careworn, bound to cares.

I would not have become troubled, intimate with worries!"

لأنك والآذانُ للقلبِ رائدٌ

لأنك والآذانُ للقلبِ رائدٌ

بنَثْتُم لنا الأخبارَ عَنْ كلِّ نازلِ

بنَثْتُم لنا الأخبارَ عَنْ كلِّ نازلِ

For you and the ears are scouts for the heart:

For you and the ears are guides for the heart;

you relayed to us the news of every occurrence.'

You brought us news of every event.

فقالت له الآذانُ بلْ أنتَ مرسلٌ

فقالت له الآذانُ بلْ أنتَ مرسلٌ

ولولاكَ ما نُصِغي إلى قولِ قائلِ

ولولاكَ ما نُصِغي إلى قولِ قائلِ

Then the ears said to him, 'Rather, you are the sender;

So the ears said to it, "Rather, you are a sender,

and but for you, we would not heed any speaker's words.'

And were it not for you, we would not listen to any speaker's words!"

فقال لهم قلبي إذا كنت مالكاً

فقال لهم قلبي إذا كنت مالكاً

مقيماً ولم أبرحْ بتلكَ المعاقِل

مقيماً ولم أبرحْ بتلكَ المعاقِل

Then my heart said to them, 'If I am a ruler,

So my heart said to them, "If I am an owner,

dwelling in those strongholds and never leaving them,

Remaining and not moving from those fortresses,

فمِنْ أينَ لِي أن أعلمَ الخبرَ الذِي

فمِنْ أينَ لِي أن أعلمَ الخبرَ الذِي

يخبرنا عن أمر زيد وَوَائلِ

يخبرنا عن أمر زيد وَوَائلِ

then how can I know the news that

Then how could I know the news

tells us of the affairs of Zayd and Wa'il?

That informs us of the matter of Zayd and Wā'il?"

ولا أعلمُ الأخبارَ إلا بخبرِكُم

ولا أعلمُ الأخبارَ إلا بخبرِكُم

ولولاكُمُ لم يأتني فِعْلُ فاعلِ

ولولاكُمُ لم يأتني فِعْلُ فاعلِ

And I learn the news only through what you report;

"I know no reports but through your reports,

and without you, no doer's deed would reach me.'

And were it not for you, no doer's deed would come to me!"

فقال لهم أتعبتموني فكلُّكُم

فقال لهم أتعبتموني فكلُّكُم

سواءٌ تعاوَنْتُم على كلِّ باطِلِ

سواءٌ تعاوَنْتُم على كلِّ باطِلِ

He said to them, 'You have wearied me, for all of you

So it said to them, "You have wearied me, for all of you

are alike: you have joined forces in all that is vain.

Are equal in conspiring upon every falsehood!"

فلولاكُمُ لم أمسِ في الفُرشِ ثاوياً

فلولاكُمُ لم أمسِ في الفُرشِ ثاوياً

طريحَ جوىً بين الحِمى والخمائِل

طريحَ جوىً بين الحِمى والخمائِل

For without you, I would not linger abed come evening,

"And were it not for you, I would not lie down to rest

laid low by love's anguish, between the protected pasture and the groves.

Languishing, crazed, between ardors and songstresses!

ألاَ ما تقوا اللهَ المؤلِّفَ بيننَا

ألاَ ما تقوا اللهَ المؤلِّفَ بيننَا

ولا تتركوني ثايواً في المجاهِلِ

ولا تتركوني ثايواً في المجاهِلِ

Come, will you not fear God, who unites us?

Oh, fear God who has joined us together,

And do not leave me lingering in the trackless wilds.'

And do not leave me confused amongst the ignorant!"