عَمَرت ربعَ الهوى بقلبٍ

عَمَرت ربعَ الهوى بقلبٍ

لقوة الحبِ غير ناكث

لقوة الحبِ غير ناكث

I inhabited love's abode with a heart

I have lived a quarter of passion with a heart

that, through love's strength, never breaks faith.

That will not break its promise of love

لبثتُ فيه أجرُّ ذيل الذ

لبثتُ فيه أجرُّ ذيل الذ

حول أحببْ به لللابث

حول أحببْ به لللابث

I stayed there, dragging the train of ven-

I have lingered in it, trailing the train

dettas—how lovely it is for one who stays!

Of one I love, round the circling course

إن متُّ شوقاً فلي غرامٌ

إن متُّ شوقاً فلي غرامٌ

نباتُه بالسقام وادث

نباتُه بالسقام وادث

If I die of longing, mine is a passion

If I die of longing, yet I have a love

whose growth flourishes through sickness.

Whose plants are fed by sickness and sorrow

أما حديثُ الهوى فحقٌ

أما حديثُ الهوى فحقٌ

يصرف بلواه كلُّ حادث

يصرف بلواه كلُّ حادث

As for the tale of love, it is true:

Truly, the tale of love is truth

every event diverts its affliction.

That turns aside its pain through every event

تعبت بالشوقِ في حبيبٍ

تعبت بالشوقِ في حبيبٍ

أنا به ما حييتُ بائث

أنا به ما حييتُ بائث

I grew weary with longing for a beloved;

I am weary with longing for a beloved

for him, as long as I live, I keep searching.

As long as I live, never ceasing to pine

يختالُ كالغصنِ ماسَ فيه

يختالُ كالغصنِ ماسَ فيه

طرفٌ فأزرى كلُّ مائث

طرفٌ فأزرى كلُّ مائث

He struts like a bough in which there swayed

He sways like a bough made slender by fruit

a glance, putting every supple figure to shame.

So my glances at anything passing are rapt

دنيا تبدّت لكلِ وأي

دنيا تبدّت لكلِ وأي

فهو لدنياه أيُّ حارث

فهو لدنياه أيُّ حارث

A world revealed itself to everyone and anyone;

A world was revealed to all, but which

what a tiller he is of his own world!

To his own world, does any man reap?

يلعبُ بالعاشقين طُراً

يلعبُ بالعاشقين طُراً

والكلُّ رضوانُ وهو عابث

والكلُّ رضوانُ وهو عابث

He toys with lovers, all of them,

He makes game of lovers, flying far -

and all are Riḍwān, while he trifles.

All are content, though he is but playing.