أَتُرَى الْحَمَامَ يَنُوحُ مِنْ طَرَبٍ مَعِي

أَتُرَى الْحَمَامَ يَنُوحُ مِنْ طَرَبٍ مَعِي

وَنَدَى الْغَمَامَةِ يَسْتَهِلُّ لِمَدْمَعِي

وَنَدَى الْغَمَامَةِ يَسْتَهِلُّ لِمَدْمَعِي

Do you think the doves lament with me in rapture,

Do you see the dove moaning in ecstasy with me,

And the cloud's dew pours forth for my tears?

And the misty clouds begin to weep for my tears?

مَا لِلنَّسِيمِ بَلِيلَةً أَذْيَالُهُ

مَا لِلنَّسِيمِ بَلِيلَةً أَذْيَالُهُ

أَتُرَاهُ مَرَّ عَلَى جَدَاوِلِ أَدْمُعِي

أَتُرَاهُ مَرَّ عَلَى جَدَاوِلِ أَدْمُعِي

Why are the breeze's trailing skirts damp?

Why is the breeze listless, trailing its skirts?

Do you think it has passed over the streams of my tears?

Did it pass by the streams of my tears?

بَلْ مَا لِهَذا الْبَرْقِ مُلْتَهِبَ الحَشَا

بَلْ مَا لِهَذا الْبَرْقِ مُلْتَهِبَ الحَشَا

أَسَمَتْ إِلَيْهِ شَرَارةٌ مِنْ أَضْلُعِي

أَسَمَتْ إِلَيْهِ شَرَارةٌ مِنْ أَضْلُعِي

But what ails this lightning, its heart aflame?

Nay, why does the lightning blaze so fiercely?

Has a spark risen to it from my ribs?

A spark flew to it from my ribs.

لَمْ أَدْرِ هَلْ شَعَرَ الزَّمَانُ بِلَوْعَتِي

لَمْ أَدْرِ هَلْ شَعَرَ الزَّمَانُ بِلَوْعَتِي

فَرَثَى لَهَا أَمْ هَاجَتِ الدُّنْيَا مَعِي

فَرَثَى لَهَا أَمْ هَاجَتِ الدُّنْيَا مَعِي

I know not whether Time has felt my burning anguish

I know not, did the days feel my torment,

And pitied it, or whether the world has stirred with me.

And elegized it, or did the world rage with me?

فَالْغَيْثُ يَهْمِي رِقَّةً لِصَبَابَتِي

فَالْغَيْثُ يَهْمِي رِقَّةً لِصَبَابَتِي

وَالطَّيْرُ تَبْكِي رَحْمَةً لِتَوَجُّعِي

وَالطَّيْرُ تَبْكِي رَحْمَةً لِتَوَجُّعِي

For the rain pours down in tenderness for my yearning,

So the rain pours gently for my youthfulness,

And the birds weep in compassion for my suffering.

And the birds weep mercifully for my pain.

خَطَرَاتُ شَوْقٍ أَلْهَبَتْ بِجَوَانِحِي

خَطَرَاتُ شَوْقٍ أَلْهَبَتْ بِجَوَانِحِي

نَاراً يَدِبُّ أَزِيزُهَا فِي مسْمَعِي

نَاراً يَدِبُّ أَزِيزُهَا فِي مسْمَعِي

Stirrings of longing have kindled within my breast

Yearnings of passion set my essence aflame

A fire whose crackling creeps into my ear.

With a fire whose hissing resounds in my hearing.

وَجَوىً كَأَطْرَافِ الأَسِنَّةِ لَمْ يَدَعْ

وَجَوىً كَأَطْرَافِ الأَسِنَّةِ لَمْ يَدَعْ

لِلصَّبْرِ بَيْنَ مَقِيلِهِ مِنْ مَفْزَعِ

لِلصَّبْرِ بَيْنَ مَقِيلِهِ مِنْ مَفْزَعِ

And heartache, like the points of spears, has not left

It left no refuge for patience between its resting places,

Any refuge for patience within its resting-place.

Like the edges of flames give no respite.

يَا أَهْلَ ذَا النَّادِي أَلَيْسَ بِكُمْ فَتَىً

يَا أَهْلَ ذَا النَّادِي أَلَيْسَ بِكُمْ فَتَىً

يَرْثِي لِوَيلاتِ الْمَشُوقِ الْمُولَعِ

يَرْثِي لِوَيلاتِ الْمَشُوقِ الْمُولَعِ

O people of this gathering, is there not among you a young man

O people of the sanctuary, is there no gallant among you

Who pities the woes of the yearning, infatuated lover?

To mourn for the sufferings of an impassioned, obsessed lover?

أَبْكِي فَيَرْحَمُنِي الْجَمَادُ وَلا أَرَى

أَبْكِي فَيَرْحَمُنِي الْجَمَادُ وَلا أَرَى

خِلاً يَرِقُّ إِلَى شَكَاتِي أَوْ يَعِي

خِلاً يَرِقُّ إِلَى شَكَاتِي أَوْ يَعِي

I weep, and lifeless things pity me, yet I do not see

I weep and the inanimate show me mercy, yet I see

An intimate friend who softens at my lament or heeds it.

No friend who feels for my complaints or understands.

فَإِذَا دَعَوْتُ بِصَاحِبٍ لَمْ يَلْتَفِتْ

فَإِذَا دَعَوْتُ بِصَاحِبٍ لَمْ يَلْتَفِتْ

وَإِذَا لَجَأْتُ إِلَى أَخٍ لَمْ يَنْفَعِ

وَإِذَا لَجَأْتُ إِلَى أَخٍ لَمْ يَنْفَعِ

So when I call for a companion, he pays no heed,

When I call out for a companion, he does not turn,

And when I seek refuge with a brother, he gives no help.

When I seek refuge in a brother, he is of no use.

وَمِنَ الْعَجَائِبِ أَنَّنِي أَشْكُو الْهَوَى

وَمِنَ الْعَجَائِبِ أَنَّنِي أَشْكُو الْهَوَى

وَالذَّنْبُ لِي فِي كُلِّ مَا أَنَا مُدَّعِي

وَالذَّنْبُ لِي فِي كُلِّ مَا أَنَا مُدَّعِي

And among the marvels is that I complain of love,

Strangest of all, I complain of love,

Yet the fault is mine in all that I allege.

Yet the sin is mine in all I lay claim to.

قَدْ طَالَمَا يَا قَلْبُ قُلْتُ لَكَ احْتَرِسْ

قَدْ طَالَمَا يَا قَلْبُ قُلْتُ لَكَ احْتَرِسْ

أَرَأَيْتَ كَيْفَ يَخِيبُ مَنْ لَمْ يَسْمَعِ

أَرَأَيْتَ كَيْفَ يَخِيبُ مَنْ لَمْ يَسْمَعِ

How often, O heart, have I told you: beware!

O heart, how often have I told you, be on your guard!

Have you seen how one who does not listen fails?

Have you seen how he who does not listen is disappointed?

أَوْقَعْتَ نَفْسَكَ فِي حَبَائِلِ خُدْعَةٍ

أَوْقَعْتَ نَفْسَكَ فِي حَبَائِلِ خُدْعَةٍ

لا تُسْتَقَالُ فَخُذ لِنَفْسِكَ أَوْ دَعِ

لا تُسْتَقَالُ فَخُذ لِنَفْسِكَ أَوْ دَعِ

You have cast yourself into the snares of a deception

You have fallen into the snares of a cunning deceit

From which there is no release; so take for yourself, or leave it.

That cannot be undone. So take yourself or leave it!

يَا ظَبْيَةَ الْمِقْيَاسِ هَذَا مَدْمَعِي

يَا ظَبْيَةَ الْمِقْيَاسِ هَذَا مَدْمَعِي

فَرِدِي وَهَذَا رَوْضُ قَلْبِي فَارْتَعِي

فَرِدِي وَهَذَا رَوْضُ قَلْبِي فَارْتَعِي

O gazelle of al-Miqyas, here are my tears:

O doe of loveliness, here are my tears,

So come to drink; and here is my heart's meadow—graze.

So graze here, and here is the meadow of my heart.

إِنْ كَانَ لا يُرْضِيكِ إِلَّا شِقْوَتِي

إِنْ كَانَ لا يُرْضِيكِ إِلَّا شِقْوَتِي

فَلَقَدْ بَلَغْتِ مُنَاكِ مِنْهَا فَاقْنَعِي

فَلَقَدْ بَلَغْتِ مُنَاكِ مِنْهَا فَاقْنَعِي

If nothing but my misery satisfies you,

If only my torment satisfies you,

Then you have indeed attained your wish through it; be content.

Then you have attained your full share of it.

أَنَا مِنْكِ بَيْنَ صَبَابَةٍ لا تَنْقَضِي

أَنَا مِنْكِ بَيْنَ صَبَابَةٍ لا تَنْقَضِي

أَيَّامُهَا وَغَوايَةٍ لَمْ تُقْلِعِ

أَيَّامُهَا وَغَوايَةٍ لَمْ تُقْلِعِ

Because of you, I am caught between a longing with unending

I am caught between a youthfulness that will not fade

Days, and an infatuation that has not abated.

And a madness from which I will not desist.

فَثِقِي بِمَا تُمْلِيهِ أَلْسِنَةُ الْهَوَى

فَثِقِي بِمَا تُمْلِيهِ أَلْسِنَةُ الْهَوَى

وَهْيَ الدُّمُوعُ فَحَقُّهَا لَمْ يُدْفَعِ

وَهْيَ الدُّمُوعُ فَحَقُّهَا لَمْ يُدْفَعِ

So trust what the tongues of love dictate—

Trust what the tongues of passion dictate to you

And they are tears; their truth has not been denied.

For they are tears whose rights cannot be denied.

لا تَحْسَبِي قَوْلِي خَدِيعَةَ مَاكِرٍ

لا تَحْسَبِي قَوْلِي خَدِيعَةَ مَاكِرٍ

إِنَّ الْوَفِيَّ بِعَهْدِهِ لَمْ يَخْدَعِ

إِنَّ الْوَفِيَّ بِعَهْدِهِ لَمْ يَخْدَعِ

Do not take my words for a schemer's deceit.

Think not my words are the guile of a deceiver.

Indeed, one faithful to his pledge does not deceive.

The faithful man does not betray his vow.

إِنِّي لأَقْنَعُ مِنْ هَوَاكِ بِنَظْرَةٍ

إِنِّي لأَقْنَعُ مِنْ هَوَاكِ بِنَظْرَةٍ

وَأَعُدُّهَا صِلَةً إِذَا لَمْ تَمْنَعِي

وَأَعُدُّهَا صِلَةً إِذَا لَمْ تَمْنَعِي

Indeed, in loving you, I am content with a glance,

I will be content with a glance from your love,

And I count it a gift, if you do not withhold it.

And count it devotion, if you do not forbid.

هَذِي مُنَايَ وَحَبَّذَا لَوْ نِلْتُهَا

هَذِي مُنَايَ وَحَبَّذَا لَوْ نِلْتُهَا

عَنْ طِيبِ نَفْسٍ فَهْيَ أَكْبَرُ مُقْنِعِ

عَنْ طِيبِ نَفْسٍ فَهْيَ أَكْبَرُ مُقْنِعِ

This is my wish; how lovely if I could obtain it

This is my wish, and would that I attain it

Freely given, for it is the greatest source of contentment.

From your gracious self, for that is greatest comfort.