أَما وَالَّذي أَعطاكَ بَطشاً وَقُوَّةً

أَما وَالَّذي أَعطاكَ بَطشاً وَقُوَّةً

عَلَيَّ وَأَزرى بي وَضَعَّفَ مِن بَطشي

عَلَيَّ وَأَزرى بي وَضَعَّفَ مِن بَطشي

Ah, by Him who gave you might and strength

By Him who granted you power and might over me,

Over me, humbled me, and weakened my might,

And who weakened my own strength and force,

لَقَد خَلَقَ اللَهُ الهَوى لَكَ خالِصاً

لَقَد خَلَقَ اللَهُ الهَوى لَكَ خالِصاً

وَمَكَّنَهُ في الصَدرِ مِنّي بِلا غِشِّ

وَمَكَّنَهُ في الصَدرِ مِنّي بِلا غِشِّ

God has indeed created love for you alone,

Truly God created this passion for you sincerely,

And firmly set it in my breast, without deceit.

And established it firmly in my heart without deceit,

سَلِ اللَيلَ عَنّي هَل أَذوقُ رُقادَهُ

سَلِ اللَيلَ عَنّي هَل أَذوقُ رُقادَهُ

وَهَل لِضُلوعي مُستَقَرٌّ عَلى فَرشي

وَهَل لِضُلوعي مُستَقَرٌّ عَلى فَرشي

Ask the night about me: do I taste its sleep?

Ask the night about me - do I taste its repose?

And do my ribs find a resting place upon my bed?

Or does my breast find rest upon my bed?

عَناءً بِمَن لَو قالَ لِلشَمسِ أَقبِلي

عَناءً بِمَن لَو قالَ لِلشَمسِ أَقبِلي

لَلَبَّتهُ أَو جاءَت عَلى رَغمِها تَمشي

لَلَبَّتهُ أَو جاءَت عَلى رَغمِها تَمشي

In anguish over one who, if he told the sun, 'Come!'

I suffer agony for one who, were he to say to the sun "appear",

It would surely heed him, or come walking against its will.

It would obey him, or come forth though walking reluctantly,

قَضيبٌ مِنَ الرَيحانِ في غَيرِ لَونِهِ

قَضيبٌ مِنَ الرَيحانِ في غَيرِ لَونِهِ

وَأُمُّ رَشاً في غَيرِ أَكراعِهِ الحُمشِ

وَأُمُّ رَشاً في غَيرِ أَكراعِهِ الحُمشِ

A basil sprig in everything but its color,

A staff of basil wood, but not in its usual hue,

And a fawn’s mother in everything but its slender shanks.

And a mother of pearls, but not in her customary setting.