كَتمتُ الهَوىَ حتَّى تَبَدَّت سِمَاتُهُ

كَتمتُ الهَوىَ حتَّى تَبَدَّت سِمَاتُهُ

فَحُقِّقَ حُبٌّ كانَ في حَيِّزِ الشَّكِّ

فَحُقِّقَ حُبٌّ كانَ في حَيِّزِ الشَّكِّ

I concealed my passion until its signs appeared,

I concealed my love until its traits appeared,

and a love once in the realm of doubt was confirmed.

So a love was realized that was in the realm of doubt.

كَحَلتُ جُفُونِي بالسُّهادِ عُقوبَةً

كَحَلتُ جُفُونِي بالسُّهادِ عُقوبَةً

لِسِرٍّ يُرَى بَينَ التَّقلُّبِ والسَّفكِ

لِسِرٍّ يُرَى بَينَ التَّقلُّبِ والسَّفكِ

I lined my eyelids with the kohl of sleeplessness as punishment

I kohled my eyelids in sleeplessness as punishment

for a secret revealed amid restless tossing and the shedding of tears.

For a secret seen between tossing and pouring.

كَلِفتُ بِحِبٍّ لا أسَمِّيهِ هَيبَةً

كَلِفتُ بِحِبٍّ لا أسَمِّيهِ هَيبَةً

وَليسَ يَصُدَّ الخَتمُ عَن عَبَقِ المسكِ

وَليسَ يَصُدَّ الخَتمُ عَن عَبَقِ المسكِ

I became enamored of a beloved I do not name, out of awe;

I was burdened with a love I do not call it for fear

yet no seal can hold back the fragrance of musk.

And a seal does not prevent the fragrance of musk.

كَنَيتُ عَنِ المَحبُوبِ بالغَيرِ غَيرةً

كَنَيتُ عَنِ المَحبُوبِ بالغَيرِ غَيرةً

وَقَلبي بَرِيءٌ في هَوَاهُ مِنَ الشِّركِ

وَقَلبي بَرِيءٌ في هَوَاهُ مِنَ الشِّركِ

I referred to the beloved by another's name, out of jealousy,

I was jealous for the beloved with another in jealousy

and my heart, in its love for him, is free of divided devotion.

While my heart is innocent in his love of partnership.

كَبِيرٌ عَلَى قَلبِي وَحُلؤٌ علَى فَمِي

كَبِيرٌ عَلَى قَلبِي وَحُلؤٌ علَى فَمِي

فَما أنَا مِن حُبِّي وذِكري بمُنفَكِّ

فَما أنَا مِن حُبِّي وذِكري بمُنفَكِّ

Heavy upon my heart, yet sweet upon my lips,

It is great upon my heart and sweet upon my mouth

so I never part from loving and remembering him.

So I cannot be separated from my love and my mention.

كَسَانِي الضَّنَى فِي قُربهِ خَوفَ بُعدِهِ

كَسَانِي الضَّنَى فِي قُربهِ خَوفَ بُعدِهِ

ولا شيء بَعدَ الوَصلِ أنكى مِنَ التَّركِ

ولا شيء بَعدَ الوَصلِ أنكى مِنَ التَّركِ

Fear of his distance clothed me in wasting, even in his nearness,

Yearning in his closeness pained me, fearing his absence

and after union, nothing wounds more deeply than abandonment.

And after unity nothing is more woeful than abandonment.

كِلا حَالتي هَذَا الهوَى حَالُ لَذَّةٍ

كِلا حَالتي هَذَا الهوَى حَالُ لَذَّةٍ

فَسِيَّانِ عِندِي حِينَ أضحَكُ أو أبكِي

فَسِيَّانِ عِندِي حِينَ أضحَكُ أو أبكِي

Both states of this love are states of delight,

In both my states, this love is a state of bliss

so it is the same to me whether I laugh or weep.

So to me it is equal when I laugh or when I cry.

كَفى حَزَناً أنِّي أَسِيرُ صَبابَةٍ

كَفى حَزَناً أنِّي أَسِيرُ صَبابَةٍ

ولا طَمَعٌ لي في فِداءٍ وَفي فَكِّ

ولا طَمَعٌ لي في فِداءٍ وَفي فَكِّ

It is sorrow enough that I am a captive of yearning,

It is enough of sorrow that I am a prisoner of youth

and I have no hope of ransom or release.

And I have no hope in ransom or in release.

كشَفتُ حِجابَ القًلبِ عَمَّا وَراءَهُ

كشَفتُ حِجابَ القًلبِ عَمَّا وَراءَهُ

فَعَايَنتُ بَحراً لَيسَ يُعبَرُ بالفُلكِ

فَعَايَنتُ بَحراً لَيسَ يُعبَرُ بالفُلكِ

I lifted the heart's veil from what lay behind it,

I uncovered the veil of the heart from what was behind it

then beheld a sea that cannot be crossed by ships.

And I saw a sea that cannot be crossed by ships.

كمالُ المُنَى إن كُنتَ تَرغَبُ في المُنى

كمالُ المُنَى إن كُنتَ تَرغَبُ في المُنى

إذا فَنِيَ المَملُوكُ في مالِكِ الملُكِ

إذا فَنِيَ المَملُوكُ في مالِكِ الملُكِ

The fulfillment of hopes, if you aspire to them,

The perfection of wish, if you desire wish

comes when the bondsman is effaced in the Master of dominion.

Is when the owned perishes in the owner of the kingdom.