بَينَ فُؤَادِي وخَدِّهِ نَسَبُ

بَينَ فُؤَادِي وخَدِّهِ نَسَبُ

كِلاَهُمَا بِالجَحِيمِ يَلْتَهِبُ

كِلاَهُمَا بِالجَحِيمِ يَلْتَهِبُ

A kinship joins my heart and his cheek:

Between my heart and his cheek there is kinship.

both blaze with hellfire.

Both blaze with hellfire.

هُمَا سَوَاءُ وَالفَرْقُ بَيْنَهُمَا

هُمَا سَوَاءُ وَالفَرْقُ بَيْنَهُمَا

أَنَّهُمَا سَاكِنٌ وَمُضْطَرِبُ

أَنَّهُمَا سَاكِنٌ وَمُضْطَرِبُ

They are alike; the difference between them

They are alike, and the difference between them

is that one is still and the other restless.

Is that one is still and the other restless.

وَلي عَلى عَاذِلي حُقُوقُ هَوَىً

وَلي عَلى عَاذِلي حُقُوقُ هَوَىً

عَليهِ شُكْرِي بِبَعْضِهَا يَجِبُ

عَليهِ شُكْرِي بِبَعْضِهَا يَجِبُ

Against my censor, I hold the claims of love;

And my reproacher owes me love's dues;

for some of them, I owe him thanks.

For some of them, he owes me thanks.

لاَمَ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ هَامَ بِه

لاَمَ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ هَامَ بِه

فَكُنْتُ في عِشْقِهِ أَنَأ السَّبَبُ

فَكُنْتُ في عِشْقِهِ أَنَأ السَّبَبُ

He blamed me; but when he saw him, he fell madly in love,

He reproached me; then, when he saw him, he was smitten with him.

and so I was the cause of his passion.

So I was the cause of his passion.

وَقَائلٍ والهَوَى يُرَنِّحُنَا

وَقَائلٍ والهَوَى يُرَنِّحُنَا

ونَالَ مِنَّا السُّروُرُ والطَّرَبُ

ونَالَ مِنَّا السُّروُرُ والطَّرَبُ

And many a speaker—while love sways us,

And someone said, while love made us reel

and joy and rapture take possession of us—declares:

And joy and rapture took hold of us:

حَلَّتْ لَنَا الرَّاحُ مِنْ لَوَاحِظِه

حَلَّتْ لَنَا الرَّاحُ مِنْ لَوَاحِظِه

فَلْيَحْرُمُ الخَمْرُ بَعْدُ وَالعِنَبُ

فَلْيَحْرُمُ الخَمْرُ بَعْدُ وَالعِنَبُ

“Wine has been made lawful to us from his glances;

Wine from his glances has become lawful for us;

henceforth let wine and grapes be forbidden.”

So henceforth let wine and grapes be forbidden.

خُذَا نَدِيْمَيَّ سَلْوَتي لَكُمَا

خُذَا نَدِيْمَيَّ سَلْوَتي لَكُمَا

عَطَاءَ مَنْ لاَ يَمُنُّ إِذْ يَهِبُ

عَطَاءَ مَنْ لاَ يَمُنُّ إِذْ يَهِبُ

Take, my two boon companions, my solace for yourselves,

Take my solace, my two drinking companions—it is yours—

the gift of one who never reproaches when he gives;

A gift from one who does not vaunt his favor when he gives.

وَخَلِّيَاني وَقَهْوَةً جُلِيَتْ

وَخَلِّيَاني وَقَهْوَةً جُلِيَتْ

لَيْسَتْ سِوَى الثَّغْرِ فَوْقَهُ حَبَبُ

لَيْسَتْ سِوَى الثَّغْرِ فَوْقَهُ حَبَبُ

and leave me with a wine brought forth,

And leave me with a wine unveiled,

nothing but the mouth, with bubbles upon it.

Nothing but the mouth, with bubbles upon it.

إِنِّي امْرؤٌ مِنْ عِصَابَةٍ كَرُمَتْ

إِنِّي امْرؤٌ مِنْ عِصَابَةٍ كَرُمَتْ

أَذْهَبُ فِي الحُبِّ حَيْثُمَا ذَهَبُوا

أَذْهَبُ فِي الحُبِّ حَيْثُمَا ذَهَبُوا

I am a man of a noble company;

Indeed, I am a man of a noble band;

in love, I go wherever they have gone.

I go in love wherever they have gone.

سُقُوا وَلَمْ يَسْكَروُا وَكَمْ فِئَةٍ

سُقُوا وَلَمْ يَسْكَروُا وَكَمْ فِئَةٍ

أَسْكَرَهُمْ عِطْرُهَا وَمَا شَرِبُوا

أَسْكَرَهُمْ عِطْرُهَا وَمَا شَرِبُوا

They were given drink, yet did not grow drunk—and how many a company

They were given drink but did not grow drunk; and many a band

its fragrance has intoxicated, though they never drank!

Was made drunk by its fragrance, though they had not drunk.

دُعُوا إلى بَابِ عَلْوَةٍ كَرَماً

دُعُوا إلى بَابِ عَلْوَةٍ كَرَماً

وَوَجْهُهُا بِالجَمَالِ مُحْتَجِبُ

وَوَجْهُهُا بِالجَمَالِ مُحْتَجِبُ

They were graciously invited to ʿAlwa’s door,

They were graciously invited to ʿAlwa's door,

while her face lay veiled in beauty.

And her face was veiled by beauty.

فَقَدَّمُوا سَجْدَةً وَهُمْ زُمُرٌ

فَقَدَّمُوا سَجْدَةً وَهُمْ زُمُرٌ

لِغَافِرٍ سَبَّحَ اسْمَهُ الأَدَبُ

لِغَافِرٍ سَبَّحَ اسْمَهُ الأَدَبُ

So they offered a prostration, rank upon rank,

So they offered a prostration, in bands,

to a Forgiver whose name reverence glorified.

To a forgiver whose name reverence glorified.

عَيَّنَتْ العَيْنُ مِنْهُمُ أَثَراً

عَيَّنَتْ العَيْنُ مِنْهُمُ أَثَراً

لأَنَّهُمْ في بِقَائِهَا سُلِبوُا

لأَنَّهُمْ في بِقَائِهَا سُلِبوُا

The eye discerned a trace of them,

The eye singled out a trace of them,

for in her abiding presence they were stripped of self.

For in its permanence they were dispossessed.

فَمَا دَرَى صَاعِدٌ بِمُنْحَدِرٍ

فَمَا دَرَى صَاعِدٌ بِمُنْحَدِرٍ

وَلاَ الْتَقَى ذَاهِبٌ وَمُنْقَلِبُ

وَلاَ الْتَقَى ذَاهِبٌ وَمُنْقَلِبُ

Then one ascending could not distinguish one descending,

So no one ascending knew of one descending,

nor did one departing meet one returning.

Nor did one departing meet one returning.