تَمَنَّيْتُ مِنْ وَصْلِ الحَبِيبِ اخْتِلاَسَةً

تَمَنَّيْتُ مِنْ وَصْلِ الحَبِيبِ اخْتِلاَسَةً

وَمَا كُلُّ نَفْسٍ أَدْرَكَتْ مَا تَمَنَّتِ

وَمَا كُلُّ نَفْسٍ أَدْرَكَتْ مَا تَمَنَّتِ

I wished for a stolen moment of union with the beloved,

I yearned for a stolen moment with my beloved

Yet not every soul attained what it wished for.

Yet not every soul attains what it desires

تَخلَّيْتُ بِالتذْكَارِ وَهْوَ دَلاَلَةً

تَخلَّيْتُ بِالتذْكَارِ وَهْوَ دَلاَلَةً

عَلى زَفْرَةِ فِي أَضْلُعِي مُسْتَكِنَّةِ

عَلى زَفْرَةِ فِي أَضْلُعِي مُسْتَكِنَّةِ

I withdrew into remembrance, which is a sign

I was content with memories of him, though they

Of a sigh hidden within my ribs.

Betrayed sighs stifled deep within my ribs

تَعَجْبَ نَاسٌ لاِنْقِيَادِي مَعَ الهَوَى

تَعَجْبَ نَاسٌ لاِنْقِيَادِي مَعَ الهَوَى

كَذَاكَ عِنَاقُ الخَيْلِ طَوْعُ الأَعِنَّةِ

كَذَاكَ عِنَاقُ الخَيْلِ طَوْعُ الأَعِنَّةِ

People marveled at my submission to passion;

Some expressed surprise at how I yielded to love

So too the horses' embrace is subject to the reins.

Just as horses yield to the pull of reins

تَبَدَّى لِيَ الحِبُّ الَّذي أَنَأ عَبْدُهُ

تَبَدَّى لِيَ الحِبُّ الَّذي أَنَأ عَبْدُهُ

فَحَنَّتْ لَهُ رُوحِي بمَا قَدْ أَجَنَّت

فَحَنَّتْ لَهُ رُوحِي بمَا قَدْ أَجَنَّت

The beloved whose servant I am appeared to me,

Love revealed itself, enslaving me to its will

And my soul yearned for him with all it had concealed.

So my soul bent to its power and sway

تَجَلَّى لِعَقْلِي دُونَ حِسيِّ فَأَذْعَنَتْ

تَجَلَّى لِعَقْلِي دُونَ حِسيِّ فَأَذْعَنَتْ

شَوَاهِدُ أَسْرَارِي لَهُ وَاطْمَأَنَّتِ

شَوَاهِدُ أَسْرَارِي لَهُ وَاطْمَأَنَّتِ

He revealed himself to my mind, not my senses; then yielded

It dawned on my reason devoid of senses, so proofs

The witnesses of my secrets to him, and found peace.

Of my secrets acquiesced and were still

تَطَاوَلَ لَيْلِي بَعْدَهُ فَكَأَنَّمَا

تَطَاوَلَ لَيْلِي بَعْدَهُ فَكَأَنَّمَا

يُقَلَّبُ قَلْبِي مِنْهُ فَوْقَ الأَسِنَّةِ

يُقَلَّبُ قَلْبِي مِنْهُ فَوْقَ الأَسِنَّةِ

My night lengthened in his absence, as though

My nights stretched on without him as though

My heart were being tossed, because of him, upon spearpoints.

My heart was tossed about above sharp blades

تَعَلَّلْتُ فِيهِ بِالتَّمَنِّي لِقُرْبِهِ

تَعَلَّلْتُ فِيهِ بِالتَّمَنِّي لِقُرْبِهِ

وَلَمْ يَبْقَ مِنِّي غَيْرُ تَرْدِيدِ أَنَّةِ

وَلَمْ يَبْقَ مِنِّي غَيْرُ تَرْدِيدِ أَنَّةِ

In it, I consoled myself by wishing for his nearness,

I justified my yearning for his nearness

And nothing remained of me but a repeated moan.

Until naught remained but echo of my lament

تَغَيَّرَتِ الأَشْيَاءُ عِنْدِي لِفَقْدِهِ

تَغَيَّرَتِ الأَشْيَاءُ عِنْدِي لِفَقْدِهِ

فَضَوْءُ صَبَاحِي في ظَلاَمِ دُجُنَّةِ

فَضَوْءُ صَبَاحِي في ظَلاَمِ دُجُنَّةِ

Everything changed for me at his loss,

Things changed for me in his absence

So my morning's light lies in the darkness of night.

Dawn's light shrouded in deepest gloom

تُهِيجُ عَليَّ الشّوقَ كُلُّ مَرَدَّةٍ

تُهِيجُ عَليَّ الشّوقَ كُلُّ مَرَدَّةٍ

ويَهْدِي إليَّ الوَجْدَ كُلُّ مَرَنَّةِ

ويَهْدِي إليَّ الوَجْدَ كُلُّ مَرَنَّةِ

Every echo stirs longing within me,

Every fleeting thing kindles my longing

And every ringing cry brings me love's anguish.

Each supple form evokes my fervent pain

تَرَفَّقْ بِقَلْبِي في هَوَاكَ فَإِنَّمَا

تَرَفَّقْ بِقَلْبِي في هَوَاكَ فَإِنَّمَا

بُعَادُكَ نارِي وَاقْتِراَبُكَ جَنَّتِي

بُعَادُكَ نارِي وَاقْتِراَبُكَ جَنَّتِي

Be gentle with my heart in its love for you, for indeed

Have mercy on my heart in your love, for your

Your distance is my fire, and your nearness my paradise.

Absence is my fire and your presence, paradise