بَينَ فُؤَادِي وخَدِّهِ نَسَبُ

بَينَ فُؤَادِي وخَدِّهِ نَسَبُ

كِلاَهُمَا بِالجَحِيمِ يَلْتَهِبُ

كِلاَهُمَا بِالجَحِيمِ يَلْتَهِبُ

Between my heart and his cheek is kinship:

Between my heart and his cheek there is kinship

both blaze in hellfire.

Both are inflamed in hellfire

هُمَا سَوَاءُ وَالفَرْقُ بَيْنَهُمَا

هُمَا سَوَاءُ وَالفَرْقُ بَيْنَهُمَا

أَنَّهُمَا سَاكِنٌ وَمُضْطَرِبُ

أَنَّهُمَا سَاكِنٌ وَمُضْطَرِبُ

They are alike; the difference between them

They are equal, yet differ in that

is that one is still and the other restless.

One is calm, the other perturbed

وَلي عَلى عَاذِلي حُقُوقُ هَوَىً

وَلي عَلى عَاذِلي حُقُوقُ هَوَىً

عَليهِ شُكْرِي بِبَعْضِهَا يَجِبُ

عَليهِ شُكْرِي بِبَعْضِهَا يَجِبُ

And my reproacher owes me love's dues;

And I owe my critic rights of passion

for some of them he owes me thanks.

With some gratitude I am bound

لاَمَ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ هَامَ بِه

لاَمَ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ هَامَ بِه

فَكُنْتُ في عِشْقِهِ أَنَأ السَّبَبُ

فَكُنْتُ في عِشْقِهِ أَنَأ السَّبَبُ

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

I blamed him not when love for him seized me

so I myself was the cause of his passion.

Thus for his love was I the cause

وَقَائلٍ والهَوَى يُرَنِّحُنَا

وَقَائلٍ والهَوَى يُرَنِّحُنَا

ونَالَ مِنَّا السُّروُرُ والطَّرَبُ

ونَالَ مِنَّا السُّروُرُ والطَّرَبُ

And many a one said, as love made us sway

When it was said love makes us grieve

and joy and rapture took hold of us:

We knew joy and were gladdened

حَلَّتْ لَنَا الرَّاحُ مِنْ لَوَاحِظِه

حَلَّتْ لَنَا الرَّاحُ مِنْ لَوَاحِظِه

فَلْيَحْرُمُ الخَمْرُ بَعْدُ وَالعِنَبُ

فَلْيَحْرُمُ الخَمْرُ بَعْدُ وَالعِنَبُ

Wine from his glances has become lawful for us;

Relief came to us from his glances

so let wine and grapes henceforth be forbidden.

So let wine and grapes be forbidden thereafter

خُذَا نَدِيْمَيَّ سَلْوَتي لَكُمَا

خُذَا نَدِيْمَيَّ سَلْوَتي لَكُمَا

عَطَاءَ مَنْ لاَ يَمُنُّ إِذْ يَهِبُ

عَطَاءَ مَنْ لاَ يَمُنُّ إِذْ يَهِبُ

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

Take, my two friends, my solace for you

a gift from one who does not vaunt his favors when he gives.

A gift from one who favors when he gives

وَخَلِّيَاني وَقَهْوَةً جُلِيَتْ

وَخَلِّيَاني وَقَهْوَةً جُلِيَتْ

لَيْسَتْ سِوَى الثَّغْرِ فَوْقَهُ حَبَبُ

لَيْسَتْ سِوَى الثَّغْرِ فَوْقَهُ حَبَبُ

And leave me with wine unveiled,

Leave me coffee that was refined

nothing but a mouth with bubbles above it.

Naught but lips above it are beloved

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;

I am a man of a generous company

in love I go wherever they have gone.

I go wherever in love they go

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; many a band

They drank yet were not drunk, and how many a troop

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

Was intoxicated by their scent, and not their drink

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 called to the abode of excellence in kindness

while her face was veiled by beauty.

And its beautiful face was veiled

فَقَدَّمُوا سَجْدَةً وَهُمْ زُمُرٌ

فَقَدَّمُوا سَجْدَةً وَهُمْ زُمُرٌ

لِغَافِرٍ سَبَّحَ اسْمَهُ الأَدَبُ

لِغَافِرٍ سَبَّحَ اسْمَهُ الأَدَبُ

So they offered a prostration in groups,

So they bowed in ranks, cultured men

to a Forgiver whose name reverence glorified.

Who exalted in praise the Giver’s name

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 among them a trace

for in its abiding they were dispossessed.

For they were deprived of its lasting

فَمَا دَرَى صَاعِدٌ بِمُنْحَدِرٍ

فَمَا دَرَى صَاعِدٌ بِمُنْحَدِرٍ

وَلاَ الْتَقَى ذَاهِبٌ وَمُنْقَلِبُ

وَلاَ الْتَقَى ذَاهِبٌ وَمُنْقَلِبُ

So no one ascending knew of one descending,

So ascender knows not descender

nor did one departing meet one returning.

Nor does goer meet returner