ما كُنتُ أَعلَمُ وَالضَمائِرُ تَنطِقُ

ما كُنتُ أَعلَمُ وَالضَمائِرُ تَنطِقُ

إِنَّ المَسامِعَ كَالنَواظِرِ تَعشَقُ

إِنَّ المَسامِعَ كَالنَواظِرِ تَعشَقُ

I did not know—though inmost thoughts can speak—

I did not know—though inner thoughts speak—

that ears, like eyes, may fall in love,

that ears, like eyes, fall in love,

حَتّى سَمِعتُ بِذِكرِكُم فَهَوَيتُكُم

حَتّى سَمِعتُ بِذِكرِكُم فَهَوَيتُكُم

وَكَذاكَ أَسبابُ المَحَبَّةِ تَعلَقُ

وَكَذاكَ أَسبابُ المَحَبَّةِ تَعلَقُ

until I heard mention of you and fell in love with you;

until I heard you mentioned and fell in love with you;

thus do the causes of love take hold.

and thus the bonds of love take hold.

ما ذَرَّ مِن أَرضِ الغَنِيَّةِ شارِقٌ

ما ذَرَّ مِن أَرضِ الغَنِيَّةِ شارِقٌ

إِلّا وَكِدتُ بِدَمعِ عَيني أَشرَقُ

إِلّا وَكِدتُ بِدَمعِ عَيني أَشرَقُ

Never did a dawn break over the land of bounty

No sun ever rose from the land of al-Ghaniyyah

without my nearly choking on the tears of my eyes,

without my nearly choking on tears from my eye,

شَوقاً إِلى أَكنافِ رَبعِكُمُ الَّذي

شَوقاً إِلى أَكنافِ رَبعِكُمُ الَّذي

كُلّي إِلَيهِ تَشَوُّفٌ وَتَشَوُّقُ

كُلّي إِلَيهِ تَشَوُّفٌ وَتَشَوُّقُ

out of longing for the precincts of that dwelling of yours,

in longing for the precincts of your dwelling, for which

for which my whole being is eagerness and yearning.

my whole being is eager anticipation and yearning.

أَسري وَأَسري موثَقٌ بِيَدِ الهَوى

أَسري وَأَسري موثَقٌ بِيَدِ الهَوى

فَمَتى أَسيرُ أَنا أَسيرُ المُطلَقُ

فَمَتى أَسيرُ أَنا أَسيرُ المُطلَقُ

I journey by night, while my captivity lies fettered in passion’s hand;

I travel by night, my captivity held fast by passion's hand;

whenever I journey, I am a captive—I, the unfettered one.

so when shall I journey—I, an unbound captive?

فَلَئِن عَثَرتُ بِأَن عَبَرتُ وَلَم أَبِت

فَلَئِن عَثَرتُ بِأَن عَبَرتُ وَلَم أَبِت

بِغَناكَ ذا حَدَقٍ بِمَجدِكَ تَحدِقُ

بِغَناكَ ذا حَدَقٍ بِمَجدِكَ تَحدِقُ

So if I stumbled by passing on and not spending the night

So if indeed I stumbled by passing through and did not spend the night

amid your abundance, though possessed of eyes that gaze upon your glory,

amid your riches, with eyes gazing at your glory,

فَاِعذِر جَواداً قَد كَبا في جَريَه

فَاِعذِر جَواداً قَد كَبا في جَريَه

فَلَرُبَّما كَبَتِ الجِيادُ السُبَّقُ

فَلَرُبَّما كَبَتِ الجِيادُ السُبَّقُ

then pardon a noble steed that stumbled in its course;

then pardon a noble steed that stumbled in its running:

for even the foremost steeds may sometimes stumble.

for even the foremost steeds sometimes stumble.