رَشاً طامَ عُلواً فَاِدَّعَت يَثرِبُ الحَشا

رَشاً طامَ عُلواً فَاِدَّعَت يَثرِبُ الحَشا

فَأَفطَرَ سُفلاً فَاِدَّعَت ردفهُ مِصرُ

فَأَفطَرَ سُفلاً فَاِدَّعَت ردفهُ مِصرُ

A young gazelle rose aloft, so Yathrib claimed his waist;

Boasting heightened loftiness, Yathrib claimed the mantle

A gazelle rising tall—Yathrib laid claim to his slender waist, while he grew heavy below, and Egypt laid claim to his hips.

then he broke his fast below, so Egypt claimed his rump.

Then Egypt ripped away her garb and claimed her hindmost parts

A nursling of palaces, as were his father and mother, though the sun and full moon are more resplendent than they.

رَبيبُ مَقاصيرٍ أَبوهُ وَأُمُّهُ

رَبيبُ مَقاصيرٍ أَبوهُ وَأُمُّهُ

وَإِن كانَ أَبهى مِنهُما الشَمسُ وَالبَدرُ

وَإِن كانَ أَبهى مِنهُما الشَمسُ وَالبَدرُ

A child reared in secluded chambers; his father and mother—

A darling of clipped coins, his mother and his father

I accepted him as master despite his unjust rule, and said to my heart: "Endure, perhaps in passion lies a reward."

though he is more radiant than both—are the sun and full moon.

Though the sun and moon surpassed them in brilliance and beauty

He saw my humility in love, so he grew proud and transgressed against a soul wherein he holds the power to forbid and command.

رَضيتُ بِهِ مَولىً عَلى جورِ حُكمِهِ

رَضيتُ بِهِ مَولىً عَلى جورِ حُكمِهِ

وَقُلتُ لقَلبي اِصبِر لَعَلَّ الهَوى أَجرُ

وَقُلتُ لقَلبي اِصبِر لَعَلَّ الهَوى أَجرُ

I accepted him as master, despite the injustice of his rule,

I accepted him as my master despite his tyranny

I raised my grievance to the judge of his love, who signed the decree for the wronged: "Your appointment is the Day of Resurrection."

and told my heart, 'Be patient; perhaps love is a reward.'

And said to my heart: be patient, perhaps love will reward

Merciful to others is he of the melodious speech; why does he flow like water for them, while to me his heart is rock?

رَأى ذلَّتي في العِشقِ فَاِعتَزّ وَاِعتَدى

رَأى ذلَّتي في العِشقِ فَاِعتَزّ وَاِعتَدى

عَلى مُهجَةٍ فيها لَهُ النَهيُ وَالأَمرُ

عَلى مُهجَةٍ فيها لَهُ النَهيُ وَالأَمرُ

He saw my abasement in love, so grew proud and transgressed

He saw my humiliation in love and grew arrogant and aggressive

May God watch over the one I desire, for truly I remain upon the covenant—neither seeking consolation nor committing betrayal.

against a heart where prohibition and command belong to him.

Toward a passion where he holds both command and prohibition

The hills of union were once secluded with the faces of my beloveds, until Time rendered them desolate.

رَفَعتُ إِلى قاضي هَواهُ ظُلامَتي

رَفَعتُ إِلى قاضي هَواهُ ظُلامَتي

فَوَقّع لِلمَظلومِ مَوعِدُكَ الحَشرُ

فَوَقّع لِلمَظلومِ مَوعِدُكَ الحَشرُ

I submitted my grievance to the judge of love for him;

I raised the injustice done me to the judge of his passion

Gardens whose anemones were watered by the clouds, and upon whose daisies the wine poured generously without pause.

then he wrote for the wronged: 'Your appointed time is Judgment Day.'

So he appointed for the oppressed an appointment on Judgment Day

Sweet basil that revived the heart with its scent just before our parting, until abandonment was ruled permissible against it.

رَحيمٌ لِغَيري ذا الرَخيمُ كَلامُهُ

رَحيمٌ لِغَيري ذا الرَخيمُ كَلامُهُ

فَما بالُهُ ماء وَلي قَلبهُ صَخرُ

فَما بالُهُ ماء وَلي قَلبهُ صَخرُ

This man whose speech is gentle is merciful to others;

Merciful to others, his words like soft rain

why, then, is he water, while to me his heart is stone?

Why then to me is his heart like solid rock?

رَعى اللَهُ مَن يَهوى هَوايَ وَإِنَّني

رَعى اللَهُ مَن يَهوى هَوايَ وَإِنَّني

عَلى العَهدِ باقٍ لا سُلُوّ وَلا غَدرُ

عَلى العَهدِ باقٍ لا سُلُوّ وَلا غَدرُ

May God protect whoever loves my beloved; and I indeed

May God guard the one who loves as I love though I

remain true to the pledge—no forgetting and no betrayal.

Remain true to my vow, no infidelity and no betrayal

رُبا الوَصلِ قَبلَ اليَومِ كُنَّ خَوالِيا

رُبا الوَصلِ قَبلَ اليَومِ كُنَّ خَوالِيا

بِأَوجُه أَحبابي فَعَطَّلَها الدَهرُ

بِأَوجُه أَحبابي فَعَطَّلَها الدَهرُ

The hills of union, before today, lay secluded

Lovers' tryst before today would have been my comrades

with my loved ones' faces; then Time stripped them bare.

With the faces of loved ones, but time has invalidated them

رِياضٌ سَقى ماءُ الغمامِ شَقيقَها

رِياضٌ سَقى ماءُ الغمامِ شَقيقَها

وَجادَت بِلا غبٍّ أَقاحيها الخَمرُ

وَجادَت بِلا غبٍّ أَقاحيها الخَمرُ

Gardens whose anemones were watered by the clouds,

Gardens watered by the rain of clouds, their flowers bursting open

and wine drenched their daisies without a pause.

Freely offering their pollen without reserve to the wine

رياحينُ ما أَحيا الفُؤاد بِشَمِّها

رياحينُ ما أَحيا الفُؤاد بِشَمِّها

قُبيل النَوى حَتّى أبيح لَهُ الهَجرُ

قُبيل النَوى حَتّى أبيح لَهُ الهَجرُ

Fragrant blossoms—how smelling them revived the heart,

The zephyrs have not revived my heart with their scent

just before separation, until abandonment was permitted him.

Until estrangement from the beloved was allowed