نَعِمنَ بِنَفسي وَأَشقَينَني

فَيا لَيتَهُنَّ وَيا لَيتَني

My soul did me good, yet tormented me,

Oh, if only they and if only I!

خِلالٌ نَزَلنَ بِخِصبِ النُفوسِ

فَرَوَّينَهُنَّ وَأَظمَأنَني

Delights descended upon fertile souls,

They watered them, yet left me thirsty.

تَعَوَّدنَ مِنّي إِباءَ الكَريمِ

وَصَبرَ الحَليمِ وَتيهَ الغَني

They grew accustomed to my noble resolve,

My patience, my bewildered affluence.

وَعَوَّدتُهُنَّ نِزالَ الخُطوبِ

فَما يَنثَنينَ وَما أَنثَني

I accustomed them to enduring tribulations,

So they would not bend, nor would I bend.

إِذا ما لَهَوتُ بِلَيلِ الشَبابِ

أَهَبنَ بِعَزمي فَنَبَّهنَني

When I toyed in the night of youth,

They checked my resolve and awoke me.

فَما زِلتُ أَمرَحُ في قَدِّهِنَّ

وَيَمرَحنَ مِنّي بِرَوضٍ جَني

I kept frolicking with them,

And they frolicked with me in a blooming meadow,

إِلى أَن تَوَلّى زَمانُ الشَبابِ

وَأَوشَكَ عودِيَ أَن يَنحَني

Until the time of youth turned away

And my return was about to bend.

فَيا نَفسُ إِن كُنتِ لا توقِنينَ

بِمَعقودِ أَمرِكِ فَاِستَيقِني

So my soul, if you are not certain

Of your purpose, be certain!

فَهَذي الفَضيلَةُ سِجنُ النُفوسِ

وَأَنتِ الجَديرَةُ أَن تُسجَني

For this is the prison of souls

And you deserve to be imprisoned.

فَلا تَسأَليني مَتى تَنقَضي

لَيالي الإِسارِ وَلا تَحزَني

Do not ask me when will end

The nights of captivity, and do not grieve me.