حبوتI bestowed upon صرفاًSarf بهوىwith love صرفِpure
حبوت صرفاً بهوى صرفِ
لأنهاbecause she فيat غايةthe height الظرفِof charm
لأنها في غاية الظرفِ
I bestowed pure love on Sarf,
I loved you purely out of passion
For she is the height of charm.
For you are the epitome of grace
ياO صرفSarf ماwhat تقضينyou decree فيconcerning عاشقa lover
يا صرف ما تقضين في عاشق
بكاؤهhis weeping يُبْدِيreveals الذيwhat يخفيhe hides
بكاؤه يُبْدِي الذي يخفي
O Sarf, what judgment do you pass on a lover
Oh passion, why torment a lover
Whose weeping reveals what he hides?
Whose tears reveal his hidden woe
لبيكat your service منas a داعcaller أباO father of قاسمQasim
لبيك من داع أبا قاسم
ياO غايةpinnacle الآدابof refinement واللطفِand grace
يا غاية الآداب واللطفِ
At your service, O caller, Abu Qasim,
I am at your service, O Abu Qasim
O pinnacle of refinement and grace!
O you who embody refinement and grace
صرفSarf التيwho أصفتكshe bestowed on you محضpure الهوىlove
صرف التي أصفتك محض الهوى
يقصرfalls short عنof حبّكمlove for you وصفيmy description
يقصر عن حبّكم وصفي
Sarf, who has bestowed pure love on you—
The passion for which I praised you as pure
My words fall short of my love for you.
My words fall short of your love
لسانthe tongue الهوىof love ينطقspeaks
لسان الهوى ينطق
وشاهدهand its witness يَصْدُقُtells the truth
وشاهده يَصْدُقُ
The tongue of love speaks,
The tongue of passion speaks
And its witness tells the truth.
And its witness is true
لقدindeed نَمَّhas told tales هذاthis الهوىlove
لقد نَمَّ هذا الهوى
عليكagainst you وماand does not يشفِقُshow pity
عليك وما يشفِقُ
Indeed, this love has told tales
This passion has certainly slept
Against you, and shows no pity.
Upon you without mercy
إذاif لمnot تكنyou are عاشقاًa lover
إذا لم تكن عاشقاً
فقلبكthen your heart لِمْwhy يخفقُthrobs
فقلبك لِمْ يخفقُ
If you are not a lover,
If you were not a lover
Why, then, does your heart throb?
Why would your heart throb?
وماand what لكis wrong with you أماًwhen (in context) بدتshe appeared
وما لك أماً بدت
تحارyou are bewildered فلاand so do not تنطقspeak
تحار فلا تنطق
And why, when she appears,
And why did a perplexed mother
Do you grow bewildered and say nothing?
Appear, unable to speak?
أشمسis it a sun تجلّتrevealed itself لناto us
أشمس تجلّت لنا
أمor القمرthe moon المُشرِقُradiant
أم القمر المُشرِقُ
Is it a sun that has revealed itself to us,
A radiant sun has risen for us
Or the radiant moon?
Or is it the shining moon?