مَن لِأُذني بِعَذولِ

وَلِكَفَّي بِشُمولِ

Who will lend an ear to my complaining,

And a hand to my embracing?

قَهوَةٍ تَذهَبُ عَنّا

بِهُمومٍ وَعُقولِ

Coffee to take my cares away

And my worried thoughts effacing.

اِستَعِن بِالراحِ يا صا

حِ عَلى اللَيلِ الطَويلِ

Take heart, my friend, through the long night,

Though help may be delaying.

قُل لِمَن يَبخَلُ عَنّي

بِقَليلٍ مِن قَليلِ

Say to those who grudge to share with me

A little of their little:

بِسَلامٍ مِن كَلامٍ

وَبِلَحظٍ مِن رَسولِ

Greetings of peace, though words be brief

And a glance from the messenger only.

هَل إِلى وَصلٍ وَإِلّا

فَسَلو هَل مِن سَبيلِ

Is there hope of union or must I despair?

Ask if there’s a way, some way to attain.

وَيحَ نَفسي مِن حَبيبٍ

ناقِضِ العَهدِ مَلولِ

My soul, beware a fickle lover

Who breaks his vows, no constancy maintaining.

ظَبيُ إِنسٍ فاتِرِ الأَل

حاظِ ذي جَفنٍ كَحيلِ

A human gazelle, whose languid eyes

Are lined with kohl, no ardour retaining.

عَيَّروا عارِضَهُ بِال

مِسكِ في خَدٍّ أَسيلِ

They chide his cheek for the musk concealed there

Under that smooth surface vainly dissembling.

تَحتَ صُدغَينِ يُشيرا

نِ إِلى وَجهٍ جَميلِ

His dimpled cheeks hint at a lovely face.

I pine for him yet he shows no pity for me.

عِندِيَ الشَوقُ إِلَيهِ

وَالتَناسي عِندَهُ لي

To Yahya once, as night was falling,

I said, as the burdens were lifted:

فَلَقَد قُلتُ لِيَحيى

عِندَ تَقريبِ الحُمولِ

‘Tis I they blame, when they talk of leaving,

As they make plans for departing really.

إِنَّما يَنعَونَ نَفسي

إِذ تَداعَوا بِالرَحيلِ