رَأَيتُI have seen المُحِبّينَthe lovers الصَحيحَtrue هَواهُمُtheir passion
رَأَيتُ المُحِبّينَ الصَحيحَ هَواهُمُ
إِذاwhen بَلَغواthey reached الجُهدَthe limit of endurance استَراحواthey found relief إِلىto البُكاweeping
إِذا بَلَغوا الجُهدَ استَراحوا إِلى البُكا
I have seen lovers whose passion is true:
I saw true lovers when they reached the limit of their passion, they rested in tears
I saw those lovers whose passion is true,
When they reach the limit of endurance, they find relief in weeping.
But Ayyub, whenever his heart remembered the one we do not name, stirred,
When pushed to the limit, find solace in tears;
وَلَكِنَّand yet أَيّوباًAyyub إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle فُؤادُهُhis heart
وَلَكِنَّ أَيّوباً إِذا ما فُؤادُهُ
تَذَكَّرَrecalled مَنthe one whom لَسناwe do not نُسَمّيwe name تَحَرُّكاgrew stirred
تَذَكَّرَ مَن لَسنا نُسَمّي تَحَرُّكا
But Ayyub, whenever his heart
Called for an inkwell at that meeting, and wrote their name on his palm, then erased it
But Ayyub, whenever his heart recalls
Recalled the one we do not name, grew stirred;
If lovers were satisfied with what you were satisfied with, no longing would yearn, nor complain
The one we name not, is stirred with emotion;
دَعاhe called بِدَواةٍfor an inkwell عِندَat ذاكَthat moment مُلاقَةٍprepared with an ink-pad
دَعا بِدَواةٍ عِندَ ذاكَ مُلاقَةٍ
فَخَطَّso he wrote اسمَهُhis name فيon كَفِّهِhis palm ثُمَّthen دَلَّكاhe rubbed
فَخَطَّ اسمَهُ في كَفِّهِ ثُمَّ دَلَّكا
He then called for a prepared inkwell,
He calls for an inkwell, ready at hand,
And wrote his name on his palm, then rubbed.
Writes the name on his palm, then rubs it deep;
فَلَوso if كانَwere يَرضىbe content العاشِقونَthe lovers بِمِثلِwith the like of ماwhat
فَلَو كانَ يَرضى العاشِقونَ بِمِثلِ ما
رَضيتَyou have been content بِهِwith it ماnot حَنَّyearned صَبٌّa lovesick man وَلاand not شَكاcomplained
رَضيتَ بِهِ ما حَنَّ صَبٌّ وَلا شَكا
So if lovers were content with anything like what
If lovers were satisfied with the likes of what
You have been content with, no lovesick man would yearn or complain.
Has satisfied you, no lover would moan or complain.
Partial English translation: 4 of 8 Arabic lines translated.