يا رَفيقي أَنا لَولا أَنتَ ما وَقَّعتُ لَحنا

كُنتَ في سِرِّيَ لَما كُنتُ وَحدي أَتَغَنّى

O my companion, were it not for you, I would not have composed a melody,

You were in my secret thoughts when I was singing all alone.

أَلبُسُ الرَوضَ حَلاهُ إِنَّهُ يَوماً سَيُجنى

هَذِهِ أَصداءٌ روحي فَلتَكُن روحُكَ أُذنا

I clothe the garden in its beauty, for one day it shall be harvested;

These are the echoes of my soul, so let your soul be a listening ear.

إِن تَجِد حُسناً فَخُذهُ وَاِطَّرِح ما لَيسَ حُسنا

إِنَّ بَعضَ القَولِ فَنٌّ فَاِجعَلِ الإِصغاءَ فَنّا

If you find beauty, take it; and cast aside whatever is not beautiful.

Indeed, some speech is art, so make of listening an art as well.

تَكُ كَالحَقلِ يَرُدُّ الكَيلَ لِلزارِعِ طَنّا

رُبَّ غَيمٍ صارَ لَمّا لَمَسَتهُ الريحُ مُزنا

You will become like the field that repays the sower's measure with a ton.

Many a cloud turned into pouring rain when touched by the wind.

رُبَّما كُنتُ غَنِيّاً غَيرَ أَنّي بِكَ أَغنى

ما لِصَوتٍ أُغلِقَت مِن دونِهِ الأَسماعُ مَعنى

Perhaps I was rich, yet through you I am richer still.

A voice holds no meaning if ears are closed against it;

كُلُّ نورٍ غَيرُ نورٍ مَرَّ بِالأَعيُنِ وَسَنى

يا رَفيقي أَنتَ إِن راعَيتَ فَجري صارَ أَسنى

Any light is no light at all if it passes before drowsy eyes.

O my companion, if you tend to my dawn, it becomes even more radiant,

وَإِذا طُفتَ بِكَرمِيَ زُدتَهُ خَصباً وَأَمنا

قَد سَكَبتُ الخَمرَ كَي تَشرَبَ فَاِشرَب مُطمَإِنّا

And if you wander through my vineyard, you increase its fertility and peace.

I have poured the wine for you to drink, so drink with a tranquil heart,

وَاِسقِ مَن شِئتَ كَريماً لا تَخَف أَن تَتَجَنّى

كُلَّما أَفرَغتَ كَأسي زُدتُ في كَأسِيَ دِنّا

And serve generously whomever you wish; fear not that you commit a wrong.

Whenever you empty my cup, I add a whole cask to the draft,

فَهيَ بِالإِنفاقِ تَبقى وَهيَ بِالإِمساكِ تَفنى

لَستَ مِنّي إِن حَسِبتَ الشِعرَ أَلفاظاً وَوَزنا

For it endures through spending, and vanishes through hoarding.

You are not of my kin if you deem poetry merely words and meter.

خالَفَت دَربُكَ دَربي وَاِنقَضى ما كانَ مِنّا

فَاِنطَلِق عَنّي لِأَلّا تَقتَني هَمّاً وَحُزنا

Your path has diverged from mine, and what was between us has ended,

So depart from me, lest you acquire only worry and sorrow,

وَاِتَّخِذ غَيري رَفيقاً وَسِوى دُنيايَ مَغنى

And take another for a companion, and a dwelling place other than my world.