يا من هواه أعزه وأذلني

يا من هواه أعزه وأذلني

كيف السبيل إلى وصالك دلني

كيف السبيل إلى وصالك دلني

O you whose love has exalted you and humbled me.

O you whose love exalted him and humiliated me

How can I find the way to union with you? Guide me.

How can I reach you, show me the way

وتركتني حيران صباً هائماً

وتركتني حيران صباً هائماً

أرعى النجوم وأنت في نوم هني

أرعى النجوم وأنت في نوم هني

And you left me bewildered, lovesick, wandering.

You left me lost, wandering as youth

I watch the stars while you lie in peaceful sleep.

I tend to the stars while you sleep soundly

عاهدتني أن لا تميل عن الهوى

عاهدتني أن لا تميل عن الهوى

وحلفت لي يا غصن أن لا تنثني

وحلفت لي يا غصن أن لا تنثني

You pledged to me not to turn away from love.

You promised not to turn from passion

And you swore to me, O bough, that you would not bend.

And swore, O branch, that you would not bend

هب النسيم ومال غصن مثله

هب النسيم ومال غصن مثله

أين الزمان وأين ما عاهدتني

أين الزمان وأين ما عاهدتني

The breeze blew, and a bough like you swayed.

The breeze blew and bent a branch like it

Where are those days, and where is the pledge you made me?

Where is time, and where is what you promised me

جاد الزمان وأنت ما واصلتني

جاد الزمان وأنت ما واصلتني

يا باخلاً بالوصل أنت قتلتني

يا باخلاً بالوصل أنت قتلتني

Time was generous, yet you granted me no union.

Time passed, yet you did not join me

O you who withhold union, you have killed me.

O stingy with union, you have killed me

واصلتني حتى ملكت حشاشتي

واصلتني حتى ملكت حشاشتي

ورجعت من بعد الوصال هجرتني

ورجعت من بعد الوصال هجرتني

You granted me union until you possessed my very life.

You united me until I possessed my longing

And after union, you turned back and forsook me.

Then after the union you deserted me

لما ملكت قياد سري بالهوى

لما ملكت قياد سري بالهوى

وعلمت أني عاشق لك خنتني

وعلمت أني عاشق لك خنتني

When, through love, you took the reins of my innermost self,

When you took the reins of my secret passion

And knew that I loved you, you betrayed me.

And knew I was your lover, you betrayed me

ولأقعدن على الطريق فاشتكي

ولأقعدن على الطريق فاشتكي

في زي مظلوم وأنت ظلمتني

في زي مظلوم وأنت ظلمتني

And I shall surely sit upon the road and complain,

And I will sit on the road complaining

In the garb of one wronged—and you have wronged me.

Disguised as a wronged man, though you wronged me

ولأشكينك عند سلطان الهوى

ولأشكينك عند سلطان الهوى

ليعذبنك مثل ما عذبتني

ليعذبنك مثل ما عذبتني

And I shall surely complain of you before the sovereign of love,

And complain about you to the sultan of love

So he may torment you just as you tormented me.

So he tortures you as you have tortured me

ولأدعين عليك في جنح الدجى

ولأدعين عليك في جنح الدجى

فعساك تبلى مثل ما أبليتني

فعساك تبلى مثل ما أبليتني

And I shall surely pray against you under cover of night,

And call upon you in the wings of night

So may you be afflicted as you afflicted me.

So you wither as you have made me wither