أما لو يفيد العتب لارتاح عاتبه

أما لو يفيد العتب لارتاح عاتبه

دعوه فهذا البرق لا بد كاذبه

دعوه فهذا البرق لا بد كاذبه

Ah, if reproach were of use, his reproacher would find relief.

If reproach would bring relief, reproach the lover,

Leave him be; this lightning is bound to deceive him.

But this lightning is surely deceiving.

قلوبكم هامت كما هام قلبُهُ

قلوبكم هامت كما هام قلبُهُ

وأمس طلبتهم ما هو اليوم طالبهُ

وأمس طلبتهم ما هو اليوم طالبهُ

Your hearts fell madly in love, just as his heart did.

Your hearts pined as his heart pined,

And yesterday you sought those things he seeks today.

And yesterday you sought what today you blame him for.

فلا تحسبوه خاسراً ليس خاسراً

فلا تحسبوه خاسراً ليس خاسراً

تجاربكم زالت وهذي تجاربه

تجاربكم زالت وهذي تجاربه

So do not think him a loser; he is no loser.

Think him not a loser, he's no loser,

Your experiences are past, and these are his experiences.

Your trials have passed while his are ongoing,

لهُ مثلهُ في أنسه ونفاره

لهُ مثلهُ في أنسه ونفاره

يراضيه أياماً وأخرى يغاضبه

يراضيه أياماً وأخرى يغاضبه

He has one like himself in intimacy and aversion,

He has his like in intimacy and estrangement,

who appeases him some days and quarrels with him on others.

He is pleased some days and angered on others,

بأية عين أم لأية زلّة

بأية عين أم لأية زلّة

نراقبه في حبِه ونحاسبه

نراقبه في حبِه ونحاسبه

With what eye, or for what lapse,

With what eye or for what slip,

do we watch him in his love and call him to account?

Shall we watch over his love and take him to account?

ألا أنه سهم أصاب فؤاده

ألا أنه سهم أصاب فؤاده

وكل فؤاد ذلك السهم صائبه

وكل فؤاد ذلك السهم صائبه

Behold, it is an arrow that has struck his heart,

Know that it's an arrow that has struck his heart,

and that arrow strikes every heart.

And every heart, that arrow strikes its mark.

تذكرت ريعان الشباب الذي مضى

تذكرت ريعان الشباب الذي مضى

فأحزنني أن لن تعود أطايبه

فأحزنني أن لن تعود أطايبه

I recalled the bloom of youth that has passed,

I remembered the blossoms of youth now gone,

and it saddened me that its delights would not return.

Saddened that their sweetness shall not return.

لقد كنتُ أقضي ليلتي في حديثه

لقد كنتُ أقضي ليلتي في حديثه

يسائلني عن حبه فأجاوبه

يسائلني عن حبه فأجاوبه

Indeed, I used to spend my night in conversation with him;

Many a night I talked with him till dawn,

he would ask me about his love, and I would answer him.

He asked about his love and I made answer.

سمعتُ بنات الورْق تشدو ضحيّة

سمعتُ بنات الورْق تشدو ضحيّة

فقلت اسمعوا هذه الطيور تخاطبه

فقلت اسمعوا هذه الطيور تخاطبه

I heard the daughters of the gray doves singing at midmorning,

I heard the leaves rustle their morning song,

so I said, 'Listen: these birds are speaking to him.'

And said "Listen to the birds conversing with him."

لها مهجٌ فيها هوى تحتهُ لظى

لها مهجٌ فيها هوى تحتهُ لظى

فإما سرت ريح توقد لاهبه

فإما سرت ريح توقد لاهبه

They have hearts holding passion, with a blaze beneath it;

In those leaves are hearts filled with passion beneath,

and if a breeze passes, its flame flares up.

If a breeze stirs, it kindles raging flames.

أرى اليأس أدنى للشفاء من الرجا

أرى اليأس أدنى للشفاء من الرجا

إذا عزّ مطلوب سلا عنه طالبه

إذا عزّ مطلوب سلا عنه طالبه

I find despair nearer to healing than hope.

I see despair is nearer cure than hope,

When what is sought is hard to attain, its seeker forgets it.

When the sought are proud, questioners despair.

وكم من جوى مستمكن في جوانح

وكم من جوى مستمكن في جوانح

أهاب به لوم فجاشت غواربه

أهاب به لوم فجاشت غواربه

And many a burning grief, lodged deep within the ribs,

And how many sorrows nestle in breasts,

has been roused by blame, and its crests have surged.

Frightened by blame though their cause is pure.