صَفَا لِيَ وِردُ الحُبِّ حَتَّى وَرَدتُهُ

صَفَا لِيَ وِردُ الحُبِّ حَتَّى وَرَدتُهُ

فأصبَحتُ فيهِ بالتَّنسُّمِ مُغتصَّا

فأصبَحتُ فيهِ بالتَّنسُّمِ مُغتصَّا

Love’s draught ran clear for me, until I came to drink it;

Love's waters were clear for me until I reached them;

then, breathing in its fragrance, I found myself choking.

then I found myself choking there merely by breathing.

صَلَيتُ بِنَارِ الوَجدِ في حُبِّ سَيِّدٍ

صَلَيتُ بِنَارِ الوَجدِ في حُبِّ سَيِّدٍ

دوَاعِي هَوَاهُ للمُحبِّينَ لا تُحصَى

دوَاعِي هَوَاهُ للمُحبِّينَ لا تُحصَى

I was seared by passion’s fire in loving a master

I burned in yearning's fire for love of a master

whose summonses of love to lovers are beyond all count.

whose love's enticements are countless for lovers.

صَغيرُ هَواهُ في الفُؤادِ مَنِيَّةٌ

صَغيرُ هَواهُ في الفُؤادِ مَنِيَّةٌ

فما الظَّنُّ إن أوفى عَلَى الأمَدِ الأقصى

فما الظَّنُّ إن أوفى عَلَى الأمَدِ الأقصى

The least of his love within the heart is death—

The slightest love for him is death within the heart;

what, then, if it reaches its furthest limit?

what, then, should one expect if it reaches the utmost limit?

صَبَغتُ دُمُوعِي بالدِّماءِ لأنَّني

صَبَغتُ دُمُوعِي بالدِّماءِ لأنَّني

سَأَلتُ فما مُلِّكتُ قَبضاً ولا قَبصا

سَأَلتُ فما مُلِّكتُ قَبضاً ولا قَبصا

I dyed my tears with blood, because

I dyed my tears with blood, because I

I begged, yet was granted neither handful nor pinch.

asked, yet was granted neither a fistful nor a pinch.

صَدَقتُكَ مَحضَ الوُدِّ ثمّ اتَّهمتَني

صَدَقتُكَ مَحضَ الوُدِّ ثمّ اتَّهمتَني

وظاهِرُ حَالي فِيكَ قَد بَلَغَ النَّصَّا

وظاهِرُ حَالي فِيكَ قَد بَلَغَ النَّصَّا

I offered you pure love in all sincerity; then you accused me,

I was true to you in pure affection; then you suspected me,

though my outward state through you has reached the utmost bound.

though my outward state concerning you had become unmistakably clear.

صُدِدتُ عَنِ الحَظّ الَّذي أنَا طالِبٌ

صُدِدتُ عَنِ الحَظّ الَّذي أنَا طالِبٌ

فَها أنَالاَ أُدنى إليكَ ولا أُقصى

فَها أنَالاَ أُدنى إليكَ ولا أُقصى

I was barred from the fortune that I seek;

I was barred from the share I seek;

and here I am, brought neither nearer to you nor farther away.

so here I am, neither brought near to you nor sent away.

صَحِبتُ هوى قَلبي إليكَ فطاعَني

صَحِبتُ هوى قَلبي إليكَ فطاعَني

وَطالَبتُهُ بالصَّبرِ دونَكَ فاستعصَى

وَطالَبتُهُ بالصَّبرِ دونَكَ فاستعصَى

I accompanied my heart’s longing toward you, and it obeyed me;

I took my heart's passion along to you, and it obeyed me;

but when I demanded it endure without you, it rebelled.

and I demanded patience of it without you, but it rebelled.

صِفَاتِيَ لا مَوصُوفَ فِيها لأنَّني

صِفَاتِيَ لا مَوصُوفَ فِيها لأنَّني

فَنِيتُ فلا رُوحاً أُحِسُّ ولا شَخصا

فَنِيتُ فلا رُوحاً أُحِسُّ ولا شَخصا

Within my attributes there is no one left to be described, for I

My attributes have no bearer within them, because I

have passed away: I sense neither spirit nor person.

have been annihilated; I sense neither spirit nor bodily form.

صَبَرتُ عَلى أشياءَ فيكَ احتَمَلتُها

صَبَرتُ عَلى أشياءَ فيكَ احتَمَلتُها

ولَولاَكَ لِم أزدَد عَلى ألَمٍ حِرصا

ولَولاَكَ لِم أزدَد عَلى ألَمٍ حِرصا

I patiently bore things from you that I endured—

I was patient with things I endured for your sake;

but for you, why would I grow more eager for pain?

and were it not for you, why would I grow more eager for pain?

صِفُوا لِي دَواءَ الوصل إِنَّي باذِلٌ

صِفُوا لِي دَواءَ الوصل إِنَّي باذِلٌ

لَكُم فِيهِ نَفسِي ثُمَّ أعتَقِدُ الرُّخصَا

لَكُم فِيهِ نَفسِي ثُمَّ أعتَقِدُ الرُّخصَا

Prescribe for me the medicine of union: truly, I will give

Prescribe for me the remedy of union; I am ready to offer

you my very soul for it—and still deem the price a trifle.

you my life for it, then deem it a bargain.