فُؤادي صَبورٌ وَاللِسانُ كَتومُ

وَدَمعي بِأَسرارِ الفُؤادِ نَمومُ

My heart is patient, though my tongue is mute,

My heart endures, my tongue guards what I feel,

My tears, with my heart's secrets, freely flow.

But tears betray the secrets I conceal.

إِذا قُلتُ أَفناهُ البُكاءُ تَحَدَّرَت

لَهُ عَبَراتٌ تَستَهِلُّ سُجومُ

When I say, weeping has undone me, tears

If I say weeping has drained my eyes dry,

Stream down my cheeks in overwhelming woe.

Fresh torrents pour forth in a swift reply.

فَطَرفي الَّذي قادَ الفُؤادَ إِلى الهَوى

أَلا إِنَّ طَرفي ما عَلِمتُ مَشومُ

My eye it was that led my heart astray -

It was my glance that led my heart astray,

Indeed, my eye was blind, I did not know!

A cursed glance that brought an ill-fated day.

دَعاهُ الهَوى فَانقادَ طَوعاً إِلى الهَوى

وَداعي الهَوى ظَبيٌ أَغَنَّ رَخيمُ

Passion called out, he willingly obeyed,

Passion called out; it yielded to the sway,

The herald of desire sang soft and low.

Of a soft-voiced gazelle who led the way.

مُنايَ مِنَ الدُنيا العَريضَةِ خودَةٌ

وَتِلكَ مُناها في الفَضاءِ سُدومُ

I'm weary of this spacious world - a tent

My sole desire in this vast world is she,

Pitched in the void, with pegs not driven home.

While her desires are lost in mystery.

هِيَ الشَمسُ إِشراقاً وَدُرَّةُ غائِصٍ

وَمِسكَةُ عَطّارٍ تُصانُ وَريمُ

It is the rising sun, a pearl submerged,

She is the sun in radiance, a pearl of the deep,

Sweet perfume in a vial sealed and stowed.

A perfumer's musk, a gazelle to keep.

حَلَفتُ لَها بِاللَهِ أَنّي أُحِبُّها

وَما كُلُّ حَلّافٍ لَهُنَّ أَثيمُ

I swore by God I loved her. But what oaths

I swore to her by God my love is true,

Sworn by the oath-prone are not lies, I trow!

For not every oath sworn to women is untrue.

فَما رَحِمَتني إِذ شَكَوتُ صَبابَتي

وَلا كانَ في دارِ الحَبيبِ رَحيمُ

She did not pity me, though I complained -

She showed no mercy when I cried my pain,

No pity stirs in that beloved's abode.

Nor in her house did any mercy remain.

سَأَلتُ أَبا عيسى وَأَكمَلَ عاقِلٍ

وَلَيسَ سَواءً جاهِلٌ وَعَليمُ

I asked wise Jesus and the perfect sage -

I asked Abu Isa, wisest of the wise,

Not equal are the wise man and the fool!

For truth is hidden from the ignorant eyes.

فَقُلتُ أَراني لا أَراكَ كَأَنَّني

سَليمٌ فَقالَ المُستَهامُ سَليمُ

I said, "I cannot see you, yet can see -

I said: "I see myself like one by serpents bitten,"

As if I, Salim, were both blind and whole."

He answered: "The lovesick are indeed thus smitten."