طَرَقتكَ في الرؤيا فحيّ خيالَها

طَرَقتكَ في الرؤيا فحيّ خيالَها

فكذا ينالُ المستهامُ وِصالَها

فكذا ينالُ المستهامُ وِصالَها

She visited you by night in a dream; so greet her apparition.

I met you in a dream, so its fantasy came alive,

For thus the lovesick lover attains union with her.

Thus does the lovesick one attain his desire.

لا تطمَعنَّ بوصلِها في يقظةٍ

لا تطمَعنَّ بوصلِها في يقظةٍ

فاللهُ قد حرمَ الملاكَ جمالها

فاللهُ قد حرمَ الملاكَ جمالها

Never hope for union with her while awake,

Do not hope for union with her in wakefulness,

For God has withheld her beauty from the angel.

For God has denied the angels her beauty.

هذي الزيارةُ رحمةٌ لكَ في الكرى

هذي الزيارةُ رحمةٌ لكَ في الكرى

بل نِعمةٌ ما مِن محبٍّ نالها

بل نِعمةٌ ما مِن محبٍّ نالها

This visit is a mercy to you in slumber,

This visitation is a mercy for you in life,

Rather, a blessing no lover has ever attained.

Rather a blessing, which no lover has attained.

فافرش لها خَدَّيكَ بل جَفنيكَ بل

فافرش لها خَدَّيكَ بل جَفنيكَ بل

عينيكَ واحذَر أن تضمَّ خيالها

عينيكَ واحذَر أن تضمَّ خيالها

So lay down your cheeks for her—rather, your eyelids—rather,

So spread your cheeks, nay your eyelids, nay

Your eyes; and beware of embracing her apparition.

Your eyes for her, and beware of embracing her image,

أوَ لم ترى العشاقَ قد فرشوا لها

أوَ لم ترى العشاقَ قد فرشوا لها

حدقَ العيونِ فلم تنل خِلخالها

حدقَ العيونِ فلم تنل خِلخالها

And have you not seen the lovers spread for her

Have you not seen the lovers spread out for her

The pupils of their eyes, yet these did not reach her anklet,

The pupils of their eyes, but her anklet they did not attain?

كرعيَّةٍ فرشت طريقَ مليكِها

كرعيَّةٍ فرشت طريقَ مليكِها

يومَ الفخارِ فأظهرَت إجلالها

يومَ الفخارِ فأظهرَت إجلالها

Like subjects who carpeted their king's path

Like a flock that spread the road of their king

On the day of glory, thus showing their reverence?

On the day of glory, displaying their awe.

واللهِ لو ظَهرت لأشمَطَ راهبٍ

واللهِ لو ظَهرت لأشمَطَ راهبٍ

وأمامه العذراءُ ما صلّى لها

وأمامه العذراءُ ما صلّى لها

By God, were she to appear to a gray-haired monk,

By God, if she appeared to an ascetic at prayer

With the Virgin before him, he would not pray to her.

With the Virgin beside him, he would not have prayed to her.