ألْقَى المُعَنَّى إلى الهَوَانِ سِنَهْ

ألْقَى المُعَنَّى إلى الهَوَانِ سِنَهْ

إذْ حَرَّكَ الوجدُ للحِمَى سُكَنَهْ

إذْ حَرَّكَ الوجدُ للحِمَى سُكَنَهْ

The tormented lover gave himself over to humiliation,

Passion lowered its spear,

when longing for the sanctuary stirred his repose.

When ardor stirred restlessness into movement.

يَا برق بلّغْ حديثَ ذِي شَجَنٍ

يَا برق بلّغْ حديثَ ذِي شَجَنٍ

مَا كل من هام يشتكِي شَجَنَهْ

مَا كل من هام يشتكِي شَجَنَهْ

O lightning, convey the words of one burdened with sorrow;

O lightning, convey the words of one in anguish -

not everyone lost in love complains of his sorrow.

Not all who pine, pine for the same passion.

يَا برق لوْ مت بِالهَوَى اسفاً

يَا برق لوْ مت بِالهَوَى اسفاً

لم أقضِ فرضَ الهَوَى ولا سُنَنَهْ

لم أقضِ فرضَ الهَوَى ولا سُنَنَهْ

O lightning, were I to die grieving from love,

O lightning, had I died of love,

I would not have fulfilled love’s obligation or its observances.

I'd not have fulfilled passion’s duties, or its rituals.

يَا برق إن السهَادَ غَادرنِي

يَا برق إن السهَادَ غَادرنِي

إذْ غادَر الطرفُ بعده وَسَنَهْ

إذْ غادَر الطرفُ بعده وَسَنَهْ

O lightning, sleeplessness has forsaken me,

O lightning, sleeplessness has deserted me,

when my eye, after him, forsook its drowsiness.

When my eyes deserted it, after befriending it.

يَا برق كم لَيْلَةٍ نعمتُ بِهَا

يَا برق كم لَيْلَةٍ نعمتُ بِهَا

وَالطَّيْرُ للغصن يَشْتكي حَزَنَهْ

وَالطَّيْرُ للغصن يَشْتكي حَزَنَهْ

O lightning, how many a night I delighted in,

O lightning, how many nights I enjoyed,

while the bird complained of its sadness to the branch.

While birds in branches complained of sorrow.

يَا برق سلّمْ على الحبيب وَقُل

يَا برق سلّمْ على الحبيب وَقُل

جَهِّزْ لِمَنْ فيكَ قد قَضَى كفَنَهْ

جَهِّزْ لِمَنْ فيكَ قد قَضَى كفَنَهْ

O lightning, greet the beloved, and say:

O lightning, greet the beloved and say -

“Prepare the shroud of one who has died for love of you.”

Prepare the shroud, for one in whom you dwell has met his end.

يَا برق رُوحِي إلَيْهِ قد تَلِفَتْ

يَا برق رُوحِي إلَيْهِ قد تَلِفَتْ

وَمُهْجَتِي في يَدَيْه مُرْتَهِنَهْ

وَمُهْجَتِي في يَدَيْه مُرْتَهِنَهْ

O lightning, my soul has perished for him,

O lightning, my soul turned to him,

and my lifeblood is held in pledge in his hands.

And my passions in his hands held captive.

يَا برق أن جُزْتَ نحو كَاظِمَةٍ

يَا برق أن جُزْتَ نحو كَاظِمَةٍ

سلّمْ عَلَى المصطفى وَزُرْ وَطَنَهْ

سلّمْ عَلَى المصطفى وَزُرْ وَطَنَهْ

O lightning, if you pass toward Kazimah,

O lightning, if you pass by Kathemah,

greet the Chosen One and visit his homeland.

Greet Al-Mustafa, and visit his homeland.

يَا برق إقْرَ السَّلاَمَ تُرْبَتَهُ

يَا برق إقْرَ السَّلاَمَ تُرْبَتَهُ

من مُدْنَفٍ أنْحَلَ الضَنَى بَدَنَهْ

من مُدْنَفٍ أنْحَلَ الضَنَى بَدَنَهْ

O lightning, convey greetings to his grave,

O lightning, convey greetings to his tomb,

from a lovesick sufferer whose body illness has wasted.

From one whose sorrows wasted his body.

يَا برق طهَ الَّذِي بِبِعثته

يَا برق طهَ الَّذِي بِبِعثته

بشَّرَ عيسَى لِقَوْمِه الكَهَنَهْ

بشَّرَ عيسَى لِقَوْمِه الكَهَنَهْ

O lightning, Taha is he whose mission

O lightning, greet the one whose mission

Jesus heralded to the priests among his people.

Brought Jesus glad tidings to his priests.

يَا برق وهو الذي برَاحَتِه

يَا برق وهو الذي برَاحَتِه

حماسةٌ بالسماح مُقْتَرِنَهْ

حماسةٌ بالسماح مُقْتَرِنَهْ

O lightning, and he is the one in whose palm

O lightning, he whose comfort

valor is joined with generosity.

Joined fervor with tolerance.

يَا برق وهو الَّذِي بهِ اتَّضَحَتْ

يَا برق وهو الَّذِي بهِ اتَّضَحَتْ

سبِلُ الهدَى للحجيج كلَّ سَنَهْ

سبِلُ الهدَى للحجيج كلَّ سَنَهْ

O lightning, and he is the one through whom became clear

O lightning, he through whom

the paths of guidance for pilgrims every year.

The paths of guidance for pilgrims each year are illuminated.

يَا برق أن الذُّنوبَ قدْ قَطَعَتْ

يَا برق أن الذُّنوبَ قدْ قَطَعَتْ

ظَهْرِي المُعَنَّى وليس لي حَسَنَهْ

ظَهْرِي المُعَنَّى وليس لي حَسَنَهْ

O lightning, indeed sins have broken

O lightning, sins have severed

my tormented back, and I have not one good deed.

My back, and I have no grace remaining.

يَا برق صلى عليه خالِقُنَا

يَا برق صلى عليه خالِقُنَا

مَا غرَّدَ الطيْرُ أوْ شَكَا شَجَنَهْ

مَا غرَّدَ الطيْرُ أوْ شَكَا شَجَنَهْ

O lightning, may our Creator bless him

O lightning, bless our Creator’s Chosen One,

as long as the bird warbles or laments its sorrow.

As long as birds sing or pine in anguish.