تَمَنَّيتُ مِن وَصلُ الحَبيبِ اختِلاسَةً

تَمَنَّيتُ مِن وَصلُ الحَبيبِ اختِلاسَةً

وما كُلُّ نَفسٍ أَدرَكَت ما تَمنَّتِ

وما كُلُّ نَفسٍ أَدرَكَت ما تَمنَّتِ

I longed to steal a fleeting moment of union with the beloved,

I wished for a stolen moment of union with the beloved;

Yet not every soul attains what it has wished for.

yet not every soul has attained what it wished for.

تَحَلَّيتُ بالتَّذكارِ وَهيَ دِلاَلَةٌ

تَحَلَّيتُ بالتَّذكارِ وَهيَ دِلاَلَةٌ

على زَفرةٍ فِي أضلُعي مُستكِنَّةِ

على زَفرةٍ فِي أضلُعي مُستكِنَّةِ

I adorned myself with remembrance—and it is a sign

I adorned myself with remembrance, and it is a sign

Of a sigh lying hidden within my ribs.

of a sigh hidden within my ribs.

تَعجَّبَ نَاسٌ لانقِيادِي مَعَ الهَوى

تَعجَّبَ نَاسٌ لانقِيادِي مَعَ الهَوى

كذاكَ عِتَاقُ الخَيلِ طَوعُ الأعِنَّةِ

كذاكَ عِتَاقُ الخَيلِ طَوعُ الأعِنَّةِ

People marveled at my yielding to passion;

People marveled at my yielding to passion;

Thus noble steeds submit willingly to the reins.

so too are noble-bred horses obedient to the reins.

تَبدَّى ليَ الحِبُّ الَّذي أنَا عَبدُهُ

تَبدَّى ليَ الحِبُّ الَّذي أنَا عَبدُهُ

فَجُنَّت لَه نَفسِي بما قَد أجَنَّتِ

فَجُنَّت لَه نَفسِي بما قَد أجَنَّتِ

The beloved appeared to me—the one whose slave I am—

The beloved, whose slave I am, appeared to me;

And my soul went mad for him through what it had concealed.

so my soul went mad for him because of what it had concealed.

تَجلّى لِعَقلي دُونَ حِسِّي فأذعَنَت

تَجلّى لِعَقلي دُونَ حِسِّي فأذعَنَت

فَجُنَّت لَهُ نَفسِي بما قَد أجَنَّتِ

فَجُنَّت لَهُ نَفسِي بما قَد أجَنَّتِ

He revealed himself to my mind, beyond my senses, and it submitted;

He revealed himself to my mind, not my senses, so my soul yielded;

And my soul went mad for him through what it had concealed.

so my soul went mad for him because of what it had concealed.

تطاوَلَ لَيلي بَعدَهُ فكأنَّما

تطاوَلَ لَيلي بَعدَهُ فكأنَّما

يُقَلَّبُ قَلبي مِنهُ فَوقَ الأسِنَّةِ

يُقَلَّبُ قَلبي مِنهُ فَوقَ الأسِنَّةِ

My night stretched long after him, as though

My night grew long after his departure, as though

My heart were being turned upon spearheads.

my heart were being turned over, because of him, upon spearheads.

تَعَلَّلت فيه بالتَّمنّي لِِقُربهِ

تَعَلَّلت فيه بالتَّمنّي لِِقُربهِ

ولم يَبقَ مِنِّي غَيرُ تَردِيدِ أنَّتي

ولم يَبقَ مِنِّي غَيرُ تَردِيدِ أنَّتي

Through it, I sustained myself on hopes of being near him,

I consoled myself with wishes for his nearness;

And nothing remains of me but the repeating of my moan.

and nothing remained of me but my repeated moaning.

تغيَّرَتِ الأشياءُ عندي لِقُربهِ

تغيَّرَتِ الأشياءُ عندي لِقُربهِ

ولم يَبقَ مِنِّي غَيرُ تَردِيدِ أنَّتي

ولم يَبقَ مِنِّي غَيرُ تَردِيدِ أنَّتي

At his nearness, all things were transformed for me,

Things changed for me because of his nearness;

And nothing remains of me but the repeating of my moan.

and nothing remained of me but my repeated moaning.

تغيَّرَتِ الأشياءُ عندي لفَقدِهِ

تغيَّرَتِ الأشياءُ عندي لفَقدِهِ

فَضَوءُ صَباحي في ظلامِ دُجُنَّةِ

فَضَوءُ صَباحي في ظلامِ دُجُنَّةِ

At his loss, all things were transformed for me,

Things changed for me when I lost him;

So the light of my morning lies within deepest darkness.

so my morning's light lies in deep darkness.

تُهِيجُ عليَّ الشَّوقَ كُلُّ مُرِدَّةٍ

تُهِيجُ عليَّ الشَّوقَ كُلُّ مُرِدَّةٍ

وتُهدِي إليَّ الوَجدَ كُلُّ مُرِنَّةِ

وتُهدِي إليَّ الوَجدَ كُلُّ مُرِنَّةِ

Every trilling voice stirs longing within me,

Every echoing voice stirs longing in me,

And every lamenting voice brings passion home to me.

and every wailing voice brings me love's anguish.

تَرَفَّق بقَلبِي في هَواكَ فإنَّما

تَرَفَّق بقَلبِي في هَواكَ فإنَّما

بُعادُكَ نَارِي واقتِرَابُكَ جَنَّتي

بُعادُكَ نَارِي واقتِرَابُكَ جَنَّتي

Be gentle with my heart in your love, for truly

Be gentle with my heart in its love for you, for indeed

Your distance is my fire, and your nearness my paradise.

your distance is my fire, and your nearness my paradise.