ما رَأَينا مَن قَلبُهُ في يَدَيهِ

ما رَأَينا مَن قَلبُهُ في يَدَيهِ

لا وَلا عاشِقاً هَواهُ إِلَيهِ

لا وَلا عاشِقاً هَواهُ إِلَيهِ

We have seen no one whose heart is in his own hands,

We have never seen one whose heart is in his hands,

no, nor a lover whose passion is his to command:

Nor a lover whose passion is subject to his will,

مَرَّةً عاشِقاً وَأُخرى خَلِيّاً

مَرَّةً عاشِقاً وَأُخرى خَلِيّاً

مُظهِراً غَيرَ ما الضَميرُ عَلَيهِ

مُظهِراً غَيرَ ما الضَميرُ عَلَيهِ

at one time in love, at another free of love,

At one moment a lover, and at another free of care,

showing something other than what his heart holds.

Displaying other than what his conscience conceals.

كُنتُ مِن وَصلِ سَيِّدي في سُرورٍ

كُنتُ مِن وَصلِ سَيِّدي في سُرورٍ

فَرَمى الدَهرُ وَصلَهُ بِيَدَيهِ

فَرَمى الدَهرُ وَصلَهُ بِيَدَيهِ

I was joyful through union with my master,

I was in bliss from the union with my master,

then Time, with its two hands, cast away union with him.

Then Fate cast his union away with both hands.

لَعَنَ اللَهُ كُلَّ واشٍ وَفَقّا

لَعَنَ اللَهُ كُلَّ واشٍ وَفَقّا

عَن قَريبٍ بِكَفِّهِ عَينَيهِ

عَن قَريبٍ بِكَفِّهِ عَينَيهِ

May God curse every talebearer and gouge out

May God curse every slanderer, and gouge out

both his eyes before long with His palm.

Soon, with his own palm, his very eyes.