أَما لَكَ يا داءَ المُحِبِّ دَواء

أَما لَكَ يا داءَ المُحِبِّ دَواء

بَلى عِندَ بَعضِ الناسِ مِنكَ شِفاءُ

بَلى عِندَ بَعضِ الناسِ مِنكَ شِفاءُ

Have you no cure, O malady of the lover?

Is there no cure for you, O lover's malady?

Yes—among certain people there is healing from you.

Yes—some people hold a cure for you.

أَسيرُ العِدا بِالمالِ يَفديهِ أَهلُهُ

أَسيرُ العِدا بِالمالِ يَفديهِ أَهلُهُ

وَما لِأَسيرِ الغانِياتِ فِداءُ

وَما لِأَسيرِ الغانِياتِ فِداءُ

A captive of foes is ransomed by his family with wealth,

A captive of enemies is ransomed with money by his family;

but for the captive of beautiful women there is no ransom.

but there is no ransom for the captive of beautiful women.

أُسودُ الشَرى في الحَربِ تَحمي نُفوسها

أُسودُ الشَرى في الحَربِ تَحمي نُفوسها

بِنَجدَتِها ما لَم تعنَّ ظباءُ

بِنَجدَتِها ما لَم تعنَّ ظباءُ

The lions of al-Sharā defend their lives in war

The lions of al-Sharā defend themselves in battle

with their valor—so long as no gazelles come into view.

by their valor, as long as no gazelles appear.

إِذا كُنتَ خِلواً فاعذر الصَبَّ في الهَوى

إِذا كُنتَ خِلواً فاعذر الصَبَّ في الهَوى

فَما المُبتَلى وَالمُستَريحُ سَواءُ

فَما المُبتَلى وَالمُستَريحُ سَواءُ

If you are free of love, then pardon the passion-stricken lover,

If you are untouched by love, excuse the lovesick lover in his passion;

for the afflicted and the untroubled are not alike.

for the afflicted and the carefree are not alike.

أَتَأمُرُني بِالصَبرِ عَمَّن أُحِبُّه

أَتَأمُرُني بِالصَبرِ عَمَّن أُحِبُّه

وَهَيهاتِ ما لي في هَواهُ عَزاءُ

وَهَيهاتِ ما لي في هَواهُ عَزاءُ

Would you command me to endure separation from the one I love?

Do you bid me endure separation from the one I love?

Impossible! In loving him, I have no solace.

Far from it! I have no consolation in my love for him.

أَموتُ اِشتِياقاً ثُمَّ أَحيا لِشقوَتي

أَموتُ اِشتِياقاً ثُمَّ أَحيا لِشقوَتي

كَذاكَ حَياةُ العاشِقينَ شَقاءُ

كَذاكَ حَياةُ العاشِقينَ شَقاءُ

I die of longing, then revive only for my misery;

I die of longing, then live again, to my misery.

such is the life of lovers: suffering.

Thus the life of lovers is misery.

أَلا إِنَّ قَلبَ الصَبِّ في يَدِ حِبِّه

أَلا إِنَّ قَلبَ الصَبِّ في يَدِ حِبِّه

يُقَلِّبُهُ في الحُبِّ كَيفَ يَشاءُ

يُقَلِّبُهُ في الحُبِّ كَيفَ يَشاءُ

Behold, the ardent lover’s heart lies in his beloved’s hand;

Behold, the lovesick lover's heart is in his beloved's hand;

the beloved turns it about in love however he wishes.

he turns it about in love however he wishes.

إلَيكَ فَلَو ذُقتَ الهَوى لَعَذَرتَني

إلَيكَ فَلَو ذُقتَ الهَوى لَعَذَرتَني

جُفونكَ وَسنى وَالفُؤادُ هَباءُ

جُفونكَ وَسنى وَالفُؤادُ هَباءُ

Come now—had you tasted passion, you would forgive me,

Away with you! Had you tasted love, you would have excused me.

your eyelids languid and your heart scattered like dust.

Your eyelids are drowsy, and the heart is dust.

أَنا لُمتُ أَهلَ العِشقِ قَبلَكَ في الهَوى

أَنا لُمتُ أَهلَ العِشقِ قَبلَكَ في الهَوى

فَها أَنا أزرى بَينَهُم وَأساءُ

فَها أَنا أزرى بَينَهُم وَأساءُ

Before you, I used to blame love’s devotees for their passion;

Before you did, I blamed lovers for their passion;

now here I am, the most abject and wretched among them.

so here I am, scorned among them and mistreated.

أَصابَت فُؤادي أَسهُمُ اللَحظِ إِذ رمت

أَصابَت فُؤادي أَسهُمُ اللَحظِ إِذ رمت

فَلِلَّهِ قَتلى الأَعيُنِ الشُهَداءُ

فَلِلَّهِ قَتلى الأَعيُنِ الشُهَداءُ

The arrows of glances struck my heart when the eyes took aim—

The arrows of glances struck my heart when they were loosed;

to God belong those martyrs slain by eyes!

so to God belong those slain by eyes—the martyrs!