ظَمِئتُ وأَجفانِي بدَمعِيَ فُيَّضُ

ظَمِئتُ وأَجفانِي بدَمعِيَ فُيَّضُ

وَعِشتُ وأَضلاعي بِرُوحيَ فُيَّظُ

وَعِشتُ وأَضلاعي بِرُوحيَ فُيَّظُ

I thirsted while my eyelids brimmed with my tears.

I thirsted, while my eyelids overflowed with my tears.

I lived while, from within my ribs, my soul was made to depart.

And I lived, though my ribs were yielding up my soul.

ظَنَنتُ الهَوًَى سَهلاً فَلمَّا اخَتَبرتُهُ

ظَنَنتُ الهَوًَى سَهلاً فَلمَّا اخَتَبرتُهُ

رَأيتُ المَنَايا حَولَهُ تَتَلمَّظُ

رَأيتُ المَنَايا حَولَهُ تَتَلمَّظُ

I thought love easy, but when I put it to the test,

I thought love easy, but when I tested it,

I saw death all around it, licking its lips.

I saw deaths around it licking their lips.

ظُبَا الحُبِّ قد سَلَّت عَلَى القَلبِ بِيضَها

ظُبَا الحُبِّ قد سَلَّت عَلَى القَلبِ بِيضَها

وَحُكمُ الهَوى مُذ كانَ حُكمٌ مُغَلَّظُ

وَحُكمُ الهَوى مُذ كانَ حُكمٌ مُغَلَّظُ

Love’s keen edges have drawn their white blades against the heart,

Love’s sword-edges have drawn their gleaming swords against the heart.

and love’s decree, since love began, has been a stern decree.

And love’s judgment has been severe ever since it began.

ظَفَرتُ بِوَصلٍ لَم يَدُم لِي زَمَانُهُ

ظَفَرتُ بِوَصلٍ لَم يَدُم لِي زَمَانُهُ

وَيُذهِبُ لَذَّاتِ المَنَامِ التَّيَقّظُ

وَيُذهِبُ لَذَّاتِ المَنَامِ التَّيَقّظُ

I attained a union whose span did not last for me,

I won a union whose time did not last for me.

as wakefulness dispels the pleasures of sleep.

And wakefulness dispels the pleasures of sleep.

ظَهرتُ بِسِرٍّ فاضَ دَمعي بِشَرحِهِ

ظَهرتُ بِسِرٍّ فاضَ دَمعي بِشَرحِهِ

وَكم ناطِقٍ حَالاً وما يَتَلَفَّظُ

وَكم ناطِقٍ حَالاً وما يَتَلَفَّظُ

I disclosed a secret; my tears overflowed in explaining it—

I came forth with a secret; my tears overflowed to explain it.

how many a person speaks through his condition without uttering a word.

And many a one speaks through his state, yet utters no words.

ظَلَلتُ أعَاني فيك ضِدَّينِ للهَوَى

ظَلَلتُ أعَاني فيك ضِدَّينِ للهَوَى

بِجَفنِيَ مُشتٍ والفُؤاَدُ مُقَبَّظُ

بِجَفنِيَ مُشتٍ والفُؤاَدُ مُقَبَّظُ

I remained, for your sake, enduring two opposites of love:

I kept enduring, in loving you, two opposites of love:

my eyelid scattering tears while my heart is clenched.

My eyelid is wintry, while my heart is summer-scorched.

ظعَنتُ بِسِرِّي عَن سِواكَ لأَنَّني

ظعَنتُ بِسِرِّي عَن سِواكَ لأَنَّني

رَأيتُكَ سِرَّ السرِّ مِن حَيثُ الحظُ

رَأيتُكَ سِرَّ السرِّ مِن حَيثُ الحظُ

I carried my secret away from everyone but you, because

I departed with my secret from all but you, for

I saw you as the secret within the secret, as fortune allotted.

I saw you as the secret of the secret, wherever I gazed.

ظُنُوني أبَت إلاَّ هَواكَ ورُبَّما

ظُنُوني أبَت إلاَّ هَواكَ ورُبَّما

عَنِيتُ بِحِفظِ السرِّ والسرُّ يُحفَظَ

عَنِيتُ بِحِفظِ السرِّ والسرُّ يُحفَظَ

My thoughts would admit nothing but love of you, and often

My imaginings refused all but love for you, and at times

I strove to guard the secret—for a secret must be guarded.

I took care to guard the secret—and the secret is guarded.

ظَأرتُ عَلَى وَعظِ النَّصِيح مَسامِعاً

ظَأرتُ عَلَى وَعظِ النَّصِيح مَسامِعاً

لها ألسُنٌ للحَألِ في الحُبِّ أوعَظُ

لها ألسُنٌ للحَألِ في الحُبِّ أوعَظُ

I inclined attentive ears toward the counselor’s admonition,

I inclined my ears toward the sincere adviser’s admonition.

ears whose tongues of circumstance preach more eloquently of love.

They have tongues of circumstance, more admonitory in love.

ظُلِمتُ بتكليفِ التَّحفُّظِ في الهوَى

ظُلِمتُ بتكليفِ التَّحفُّظِ في الهوَى

ومن رَكِبَ الأهوالَ لا يتحفَّظُ

ومن رَكِبَ الأهوالَ لا يتحفَّظُ

I was wronged by being charged with restraint in love:

I was wronged by being required to be cautious in love.

whoever rides into terrors does not hold back.

And whoever rides into terrors takes no precautions.