حمامٌ بلحظك قد حُمَّ لي

حمامٌ بلحظك قد حُمَّ لي

فما زال يهدي إلى مقتلي

فما زال يهدي إلى مقتلي

Death by your glance has been decreed for me,

Death by your glance has been decreed for me;

A dove with your glance has become enchanted by me

and it has never ceased to guide me to my death.

and it never ceases to lead me to my death.

And continues to lead me to my demise

وإن لم تغثني بمعنى الحياة

وإن لم تغثني بمعنى الحياة

من ريق مبسمك السلسلِ

من ريق مبسمك السلسلِ

Unless you succor me with the very essence of life—

And if you do not save me with the essence of life

And if you do not revive me with the meaning of life

the nectar of your sweet-flowing mouth—

from the sweet-flowing moisture of your smiling mouth,

From the saliva of your smooth chain

فها أنا قاض بداء الهوى

فها أنا قاض بداء الهوى

وقاضي جمالك لم يعدلِ

وقاضي جمالك لم يعدلِ

behold, I am dying of love’s malady,

then here I am, dying of love's disease,

So here I am, sick with the disease of love

for the judge—your beauty—has not judged justly.

and your beauty's judge has not been fair.

And the judge of your beauty did not do me justice

فيا ليت قبري حيث الهوى

فيا ليت قبري حيث الهوى

فاكرِم بذلك من منزلِ

فاكرِم بذلك من منزلِ

If only my grave were where love is—

Oh, would that my grave were where love dwells—

Oh, I wish my grave was where love lies

how noble a dwelling that would be!

what a splendid dwelling that would be!

So honor me with that from where you reside

عسى من تلفتُ بحبي له

عسى من تلفتُ بحبي له

يرقّ على ذي بلاءٍ بلي

يرقّ على ذي بلاءٍ بلي

Perhaps the one for whose love I perished

May he for love of whom I perished

Perhaps whom I yearn for with my love

will take pity on one whom affliction has worn away.

take pity on one worn away by affliction.

Will have mercy on one with such an affliction

فإن جاد بالوصل بعد الوفاةِ

فإن جاد بالوصل بعد الوفاةِ

رجعتُ إلى عيشي الأولِ

رجعتُ إلى عيشي الأولِ

If he grants union after death,

Then if he generously grants union after death,

So if he is generous with union after death

I shall return to my former life.

I shall return to my former life.

I will return to my former life

فيا صاحبيَّ هناك احفرا

فيا صاحبيَّ هناك احفرا

ولا تحفرا لي بقُطرَ بُّلِ

ولا تحفرا لي بقُطرَ بُّلِ

So, my two companions, dig there,

So, my two companions, dig there,

So my friend over there, dig

and do not dig my grave in Qutrabbul.

and do not dig for me in Qutrabbul.

And do not dig for me a hollow grave

إذا ما أدرت كؤوس الهوى

إذا ما أدرت كؤوس الهوى

ففي شربها لستُ بالمؤتلِ

ففي شربها لستُ بالمؤتلِ

When you pass around the cups of love,

When you pass round the cups of love,

When the cups of love rotate

I am not one to abstain from drinking them.

I do not stint in drinking them:

In drinking them, I am not worried

صدام تعتق بالناظرين

صدام تعتق بالناظرين

وتلك تعتّق بالأرجلِ

وتلك تعتّق بالأرجلِ

A clash grows mellow through those who gaze,

a clash [possibly ‘wine’], aged by the two eyes,

Some are freed by the observer

while that other is aged by feet.

while that other is aged by the feet.

And others freed by feet