ماhow أَقبَحَugly الهَجرَestrangement بِالمُحِبِّfor the lover وَماand how
ما أَقبَحَ الهَجرَ بِالمُحِبِّ وَما
أَحسَنَbeautiful وَصلَunion الحَبيبِthe beloved لَوif only عَلِماhe knew
أَحسَنَ وَصلَ الحَبيبِ لَو عَلِما
How ugly is estrangement for the lover, and how
How ugly is estrangement for the lover, and how
How hideous is abandonment for the lover, and how
beautiful is union with the beloved, if only he knew!
Fair is the union of the beloved, if only they knew!
Beautiful is union with the beloved, if only he knew.
ياO حُبُّlove لاno مِنكَfrom you كَمhow much تُبَرِّحُit torments بيme
يا حُبُّ لا مِنكَ كَم تُبَرِّحُ بي
فَبَدَّلَso may He change اللَهُGod قَولَthe word لاno نَعَماyes
فَبَدَّلَ اللَهُ قَولَ لا نَعَما
O love, how your 'no' torments me!
O love, why do you abandon me so often?
O Love, there is no escape from you; how you torment me,
So may God change the word 'no' to 'yes'!
God has changed your "No" to "Yes."
So may God turn the word 'no' into 'yes'.
ياO ناقِضَbreaker of العَهدِthe pledge وَالوِصالِand union لَقَدindeed
يا ناقِضَ العَهدِ وَالوِصالِ لَقَد
أَبدَلتَyou have replaced عَينَيَّmy two eyes بِالدُموعِin place of tears دَماblood
أَبدَلتَ عَينَيَّ بِالدُموعِ دَما
O breaker of the pledge and the bond of love, indeed
O you who broke your vow and our union, you have
O breaker of covenants and ties, truly
you have made my eyes weep blood instead of tears,
Turned my eyes to tears of blood.
You have replaced the tears in my eyes with blood.
حَتّىuntil لَقَدindeed شاعَbecame widely known ماwhat أُكاتِمُهُI conceal it
حَتّى لَقَد شاعَ ما أُكاتِمُهُ
وَصِرتُand I have become لِلناسِto the people فيin الهَوىlove عَلَماan emblem
وَصِرتُ لِلناسِ في الهَوى عَلَما
until what I conceal has indeed become widely known,
To the point that my secret has spread
Until the secret I concealed became widely known,
and I have become an emblem of love to the people.
And I have become to people a symbol of passion.
And I became a byword for passion among the people.
ياO مَعشَرَcompany of الناسِthe people مَنwho رَأىhas seen أَحَداًanyone
يا مَعشَرَ الناسِ مَن رَأى أَحَداً
قَدindeed مَسَّهُhas touched him الشَوقُlonging وَالهَوىand love سَلِماescaped unharmed
قَد مَسَّهُ الشَوقُ وَالهَوى سَلِما
O people, who has ever seen anyone
O people, whoever saw someone
O assembly of people, who has ever seen anyone
escape unharmed after longing and love have touched him?
Touched by yearning and passion, greet them in peace.
Touched by longing and love who remained unscathed?
مُخالِفٌone who opposes ليme قَدِindeed اِبتُليتُI have been afflicted بِهِwith him
مُخالِفٌ لي قَدِ اِبتُليتُ بِهِ
أَحسَنُthe fairest خَلقِcreatures الإِلَهِGod مُبتَسِماwhen smiling
أَحسَنُ خَلقِ الإِلَهِ مُبتَسِما
One who opposes me—I have been afflicted with him—
One who opposes me, I have been afflicted by him—
He opposes me, yet I am afflicted by him,
the fairest of God's creatures when he smiles.
The best of God's creations, always smiling.
The most beautiful of God's creation when he smiles.