عَزَمتُ على كَتمِ الهَوى فَوَشَى بِه

عَزَمتُ على كَتمِ الهَوى فَوَشَى بِه

شَهدانِ مَقبولانِ للِسُّهدِ والدَّمعِ

شَهدانِ مَقبولانِ للِسُّهدِ والدَّمعِ

I resolved to conceal my love, but it was betrayed by

I resolved to conceal my love, but it was betrayed

two credible witnesses—sleeplessness and tears.

By two accepted witnesses: tears and longing

عَلى أنَّني لَم آلُ صَراً وإنّما

عَلى أنَّني لَم آلُ صَراً وإنّما

صَدَدتُ وما صَبري على الصَّدِّ في وُسعِ

صَدَدتُ وما صَبري على الصَّدِّ في وُسعِ

Yet I spared no effort to restrain it; I merely

Yet I did not weaken, only resisted

turned away, though enduring estrangement is beyond my power.

Though my patience was not equal to resistance

عُذِلتُ عَلى طُولِ الحَنينِ وإن أكُن

عُذِلتُ عَلى طُولِ الحَنينِ وإن أكُن

حَنَتُ فكَم مِن أُسوةٍ لِيَ في الجَزعِ

حَنَتُ فكَم مِن أُسوةٍ لِيَ في الجَزعِ

I was reproached for my long yearning; yet if I have

I was blamed for prolonged yearning, though indeed

yearned, how many examples I have in anguish!

I grieved no more than was exemplary

عَصَانيَ قَلبٌ في الهَوى فأطَعتُهُ

عَصَانيَ قَلبٌ في الهَوى فأطَعتُهُ

فيا عَجَباً للأصلِ يَنقادُ للفَرعِ

فيا عَجَباً للأصلِ يَنقادُ للفَرعِ

A heart defied me in love, so I obeyed it.

My heart disobeyed me in love, so I obeyed it

How strange that the root should submit to the branch!

How strange that the branch should tame the root

عَمَرتُ فُؤادِي بالحَبيبِ صَبابَةً

عَمَرتُ فُؤادِي بالحَبيبِ صَبابَةً

ونزَّهتُهُ عن حِسٍّ لَحظي وَعَن سَمعِي

ونزَّهتُهُ عن حِسٍّ لَحظي وَعَن سَمعِي

I filled my heart with the beloved in ardent longing,

I nurtured my heart on the beloved in pure youth

and exalted him above the perception of my gaze and my hearing.

And kept it far from any glance or hearing that was not noble

عَساهُ إذا لَم يُلفَ في القَلب غَيرُهُ

عَساهُ إذا لَم يُلفَ في القَلب غَيرُهُ

يُعامِلُني بَعدَ التَّفرُّدِ بالجَمعِ

يُعامِلُني بَعدَ التَّفرُّدِ بالجَمعِ

May he, when none but he is found within the heart,

May he, if none but he fills the heart,

grant me union after solitude.

Treat me with gentleness, now that we are alone

عَرَفتُكَ لمّا لَم أجِد مَعدِلاً

عَرَفتُكَ لمّا لَم أجِد مَعدِلاً

وذُو الحُسنِ والإحسانِ يُعرَفُ بالطَّبعِ

وذُو الحُسنِ والإحسانِ يُعرَفُ بالطَّبعِ

I knew you when I found nowhere else to turn;

I knew you when I found no peer

and one endowed with beauty and beneficence is known by instinct.

For the fair and gracious are known by nature

عَرَجتُ بِسرِّي نَحوَ مَن هُوَ سِرُّه

عَرَجتُ بِسرِّي نَحوَ مَن هُوَ سِرُّه

وإنّي لَرَاضٍ بالعَطاءِ وبالمَنعِ

وإنّي لَرَاضٍ بالعَطاءِ وبالمَنعِ

I ascended with my secret toward him whose secret it is,

I confided my secret to him who was my secret

and I am truly content with giving and withholding.

And I am content both with largesse and with denial

عِيانُكَ أعيَاني وَلَستُ بنَازعٍ

عِيانُكَ أعيَاني وَلَستُ بنَازعٍ

عَنِ الأمَدَ الأقصى وإن كُنتُ في النَّزعِ

عَنِ الأمَدَ الأقصى وإن كُنتُ في النَّزعِ

Beholding you has defeated me, yet I will not turn away

Your person is my person, I dispute not

from the farthest goal, even if I am in death's throes.

The utmost term, though I am tempted to contend

عَذابُ الهَوَى عَذبٌ وَعِنديَ ذَوقُهُ

عَذابُ الهَوَى عَذبٌ وَعِنديَ ذَوقُهُ

وَيُوجَدُ طِيبُ الشَّهد في ألَمِ الشَّمعِ

وَيُوجَدُ طِيبُ الشَّهد في ألَمِ الشَّمعِ

Love's torment is sweet, and I know its taste;

The torment of love is sweet, and I find its taste sweet

and honey's sweetness is found in the pain of wax.

And pure honey may be found in the sting of bees