كأنّ ما بي في المجانين

لأنّ ما بي ليس بالدونِ

It's as if what's in me belongs to the insane

It seems my state belongs among the mad,

Because what's in me is not inferior

For what I suffer is of no low degree.

إنّ الذي تيّمني حبُّهُ

أمردُ من نشيءِ الدواوين

Indeed, he whose love has made me crazed

The one whose love has taken me in thrall

Is more stubborn than what's in books

Is a beardless youth among the bureau scribes.

قد نشر الطومار في حجرهِ

مبتدئاً بالياءِ والسينِ

He has unfurled the scroll on his cheek

He spread the parchment scroll upon his lap,

Starting with "ya" and "seen"

Beginning with the letters Yā and Sīn;

فكادت النفسُ لدى خُطّهِ

تخرجُ بين الواوِ والنونِ

So that the soul, at his tattoo

And nigh my soul, as he traced out the script,

Nearly comes out between the "waw" and "nun"

Departed 'twixt the Wāw and the Nūn.

بطرّز الوردَ على خدّهِ

من عَرَقٍ بالمشكِ معجونِ

Embroidering roses on his cheek

He embroiders roses upon his cheek

With sweat mixed with musk

From drops of sweat with fragrant musk infused;

فنصفهُ نرجسةٌ غضّةٌ

ونصفهُ من فنَكِ الصينِ

So half of it is a fresh narcissus

So half of him is a fresh narcissus bloom,

And half of it is from China's paint

And half of him is softest Chinese fur.