كتم اللسانُ وَمدمعي قَد باحا

كتم اللسانُ وَمدمعي قَد باحا

وَثَوى الأَسى عِندي وَأنسي راحا

وَثَوى الأَسى عِندي وَأنسي راحا

My tongue kept silent, but my tearful eye had confessed.

My tongue fell silent, and my tears began to flow,

And sorrow dwelt with me, while my solace departed.

Sorrow took up residence within me, and my joy departed.

إِني لَصَبٌّ طيَّ ما نَشرَ الهَوى

إِني لَصَبٌّ طيَّ ما نَشرَ الهَوى

نَشراً وَمازالَ الهَوى فضّاحا

نَشراً وَمازالَ الهَوى فضّاحا

I am indeed lovesick, concealed within what passion has unfolded,

Truly I am one who is shackled for as long as passion blooms,

unfolded openly—for passion has always exposed secrets.

Blooming continuously, while passion exposes me.

وَبِمُهجَتي من لا أصَرِّح باسمِه

وَبِمُهجَتي من لا أصَرِّح باسمِه

وَمِن الإِشارة ما يَكون صراحا

وَمِن الإِشارة ما يَكون صراحا

And I would ransom with my lifeblood the one whose name I do not reveal;

The one whose name I do not openly profess

and some hints amount to plain declarations.

Brings me joy, though indirectly it is made clear.

رِيمٌ أَرومُ حنوَّه وَجُنوحَه

رِيمٌ أَرومُ حنوَّه وَجُنوحَه

وَيَرومُ عَني جَفوةً وَجِماحا

وَيَرومُ عَني جَفوةً وَجِماحا

A gazelle whose tenderness and turning toward me I seek,

He desires my love and inclination,

while he seeks estrangement from me and wild defiance.

Yet from me he averts his face and turns away.

أَبدى لَنا مِن شَعره وَجَبينه

أَبدى لَنا مِن شَعره وَجَبينه

خَدين ذا لَيلاً وَذا إِصباحا

خَدين ذا لَيلاً وَذا إِصباحا

From his hair and brow he revealed to us

He has shown to us, of his hair and his brow,

two cheeks: this one night, and that one dawn.

Two cheeks, one of night and one of morning.

عَجَباً لَهُ يَأسو الجسومَ بِطبهِ

عَجَباً لَهُ يَأسو الجسومَ بِطبهِ

وَلَكم بِأَرواحٍ أَثارَ جِراحا

وَلَكم بِأَرواحٍ أَثارَ جِراحا

How strange that he heals bodies with his medicine,

Wondrous is he who brings wellness to bodies with his health,

yet how often he has opened wounds in souls!

And with spirits how many wounds has he afflicted.

فَبِلَفظِهِ برءُ الأخيذِ وَلَحظهِ

فَبِلَفظِهِ برءُ الأخيذِ وَلَحظهِ

أَخذُ البَريءِ فَما يطيقُ بَراحا

أَخذُ البَريءِ فَما يطيقُ بَراحا

For his words heal the captive, while his glance

With his words, the captivated is freed, and with his glances,

captures the innocent, leaving him unable to depart.

The innocent is seized, unable to find respite.

نادَمتُه في لَيلَةٍ لا ثالِثٌ

نادَمتُه في لَيلَةٍ لا ثالِثٌ

إِلا أَخوه البَدرُ غارَ فَلاحا

إِلا أَخوه البَدرُ غارَ فَلاحا

I drank with him one night, with no third companion

I reproached him one night, with no third present

except his brother, the full moon, who grew jealous and shone.

Except his brother the full moon rising radiantly.

يا حُسنَها مِن لَيلَةٍ لَو أَنَّها

يا حُسنَها مِن لَيلَةٍ لَو أَنَّها

دامَت وَمَدَّت لِلوِصال جَناحا

دامَت وَمَدَّت لِلوِصال جَناحا

Oh, how lovely that night was! If only it

Oh, that beautiful night! If only it would last

had lasted and stretched a wing for our union!

And extend, to allow our union wings.