1. يا بارق أرق جفوني

    وزال عن عيني الوسن

    O lightning that has kept my eyelids sleepless,

    and drowsiness has left my eyes.

  2. كم ما لمع حرك سكوني

    وزاد لوعاتي شجن

    Whenever it flashed, it stirred my stillness,

    and added sorrow to my burning pangs.

  3. تجاوبه زفرة حنيني

    متى سمع راعده حن

    A sigh of my longing answers it;

    whenever it hears its thunder, it moans with longing.

  4. اكاد من كثرة شجوني

    أجنّ إذا ما الليل جن

    With so many sorrows, I nearly

    go mad whenever night falls.

  5. هل نبا يا بارق الغور

    عمن حوى كل الجمال

    Is there news, O lightning of al-Ghawr,

    of him who possesses all beauty,

  6. ومن يضاهي حسنه الحور

    مع الملاقة والدلال

    and whose beauty rivals the houris,

    with winsome charm and coy allure?

  7. قل له يواصل صب مهجور

    مسهد طول الليالي

    Tell him to rejoin a forsaken, lovesick lover,

    kept sleepless throughout the nights.

  8. تداركوني وارحموني

    يا أهل المكارم والمنن

    Rescue me and have mercy on me,

    O people of noble deeds and favors.

  9. مسكين من فارق حبيبه

    فليس له عيش يطيب

    Wretched is he who parts from his beloved;

    for no life is sweet to him.

  10. وداده أعيى طبيبه

    وليس له غيره طبيب

    His love has baffled his physician,

    and he has no physician other than him.

  11. ولا يزيل لاعج لهيبه

    الا ارتشاف صافي الشنيب

    And nothing quenches his searing blaze

    except sipping pure, sweet saliva

  12. من في مزري الغصون

    الباهي الوجه الحسن

    from the mouth of him who puts the boughs to shame,

    the radiant one with the beautiful face.

  13. قالوا تسلى قلت كلا

    كيف السلو عن سلوتي

    They said, 'Take comfort.' I said, 'No!'

    How can I forget my solace?

  14. وكيف أنساه وأسلا

    ومسكنه في مهجتي

    And how can I forget him and find solace,

    when his dwelling is in my heart?

  15. أبلى وحبه ليس يبلى

    يا أسفي يا حسرتي

    I waste away, but love for him does not fade.

    O my sorrow! O my anguish!

  16. قالوا سله يا أخا الجنوني

    فقلت أسلوه بمن

    They said, 'Forget him, O brother of madness!'

    So I said, 'With whom could I forget him?'