يا ليتَ قلبي لم يُحبَّ ولم يَهِمْ

يا ليتَ قلبي لم يُحبَّ ولم يَهِمْ

بل ليتني ما كانَ لي أحبابُ

بل ليتني ما كانَ لي أحبابُ

Would that my heart had never loved, nor become love-struck!

Oh, would that my heart had never loved or been lost in passion.

Nay, would that I had never had loved ones.

Rather, would that I had never had beloveds.

إني رأيتُ أخا الغرامِ كأنما

إني رأيتُ أخا الغرامِ كأنما

صبتْ عليهِ وحدهُ الأوصابُ

صبتْ عليهِ وحدهُ الأوصابُ

I have seen the thrall of passion as though

Indeed, I have seen love's companion, as though

all afflictions had been poured upon him alone.

Afflictions had been poured upon him alone.

لكنَّ عينَ المرءِ مفتاحُ الهوى

لكنَّ عينَ المرءِ مفتاحُ الهوى

فإذا رنا فتحتْ لهُ الأبوابُ

فإذا رنا فتحتْ لهُ الأبوابُ

Yet a person’s eye is the key to desire;

But a person's eye is the key to love.

when he gazes, the doors are opened to him.

So when he gazes, the doors are opened for him.

وإذا أرادَ اللهُ أمراً بامرئٍ

وإذا أرادَ اللهُ أمراً بامرئٍ

سدتْ عليهِ طريقَهُ الأسبابُ

سدتْ عليهِ طريقَهُ الأسبابُ

And when God wills something for a man,

And when God wills something for a person,

the very means close off his path.

Circumstances bar his path.