وَأَهدى ليَ المَحبوبُ الأترُجَّ مُحسنا

وَأَهدى ليَ المَحبوبُ الأترُجَّ مُحسنا

فَيا حُسنَهُ مَولىً بِهِ عزَّ عَبدُهُ

فَيا حُسنَهُ مَولىً بِهِ عزَّ عَبدُهُ

The beloved gifted me citrons, graciously,

And my beloved graciously gave me citrons;

What a splendid master he is—through him his servant is ennobled!

So how fair a master he is, through whom his slave gains honor!

ثَمانيَ حَبّاتٍ غَرَسنَ مَحَبَّةً

ثَمانيَ حَبّاتٍ غَرَسنَ مَحَبَّةً

وَهَيَّجنَ مِن وَجدٍ تَقادَمَ عَهدُهُ

وَهَيَّجنَ مِن وَجدٍ تَقادَمَ عَهدُهُ

Eight fruits planted love

Eight fruits planted love

And stirred a passion whose covenant was old.

And rekindled a longing of long standing.

تَجمَّعَ لي المثلانِ لوني وَلَونُها

تَجمَّعَ لي المثلانِ لوني وَلَونُها

كَما اِجتَمَعَ الضدّانِ قُربي وَبعدُهُ

كَما اِجتَمَعَ الضدّانِ قُربي وَبعدُهُ

Two likenesses came together for me: my color and theirs,

For me, two like things came together: my color and theirs,

As two opposites came together: my nearness and his distance.

Just as two opposites met: my nearness and his distance.

وَلَكن حَوى راءً وَجيما حُروفُهُ

وَلَكن حَوى راءً وَجيما حُروفُهُ

فَرَجَّيتُ أَن يَسخُو وَيَذهَبَ ضِدُّهُ

فَرَجَّيتُ أَن يَسخُو وَيَذهَبَ ضِدُّهُ

Yet its letters held an r and a j,

Yet its letters contained a rāʾ and a jīm,

So I hoped he would grow generous and his stinginess depart.

So I hoped he would be generous and stinginess would vanish.

وَجاءَ كَما يُرجَى مِن الصَخر لينُهُ

وَجاءَ كَما يُرجَى مِن الصَخر لينُهُ

وَمِن حَرِّ أَنفاسي وَقَلبي بَردُهُ

وَمِن حَرِّ أَنفاسي وَقَلبي بَردُهُ

But his yielding came as softness is hoped for from stone,

And his tenderness came like softness hoped for from stone,

And coolness from the heat of my breath and heart.

And his coolness like that hoped for from the heat of my breaths and my heart.

أُعَلِّلُ قَلبي بِالأَماني وَكَم صدٍ

أُعَلِّلُ قَلبي بِالأَماني وَكَم صدٍ

رَأى الماءَ لَكن لَيسَ يُمكنُ وِردُهُ

رَأى الماءَ لَكن لَيسَ يُمكنُ وِردُهُ

I beguile my heart with wishes—and how many a thirsty man

I soothe my heart with wishes—and many a thirsty soul

Has seen water, yet could not reach its spring.

Has seen water, yet cannot reach it to drink.

فَحَسبيَ مِن وَصلٍ كَلامٌ وَنَظرَةٌ

فَحَسبيَ مِن وَصلٍ كَلامٌ وَنَظرَةٌ

وَذا غايَة الصَبِّ العَفيفِ وَقَصدُهُ

وَذا غايَة الصَبِّ العَفيفِ وَقَصدُهُ

Enough union for me is a word and a glance;

So words and a glance are union enough for me;

That is the chaste lover’s utmost aim and desire.

And this is the chaste lover’s utmost goal and aim.

وَلَم أَرَ مِثلي كانَ أَكتَمَ لِلهَوى

وَلَم أَرَ مِثلي كانَ أَكتَمَ لِلهَوى

صِيانَةُ حُبِّي إن يُدَنَّسَ بردُهُ

صِيانَةُ حُبِّي إن يُدَنَّسَ بردُهُ

Never have I seen anyone like me more secretive about love,

And I have seen no one more secretive about passion than I,

Guarding my love lest its mantle be stained.

Safeguarding my love lest its mantle be sullied.