مَا هَب مِنْ نخوكُمْ نَسِيمُ صَبَا

مَا هَب مِنْ نخوكُمْ نَسِيمُ صَبَا

إِلاَّ وَأَذْكَى بمُهْجَتِي لَهَبا

إِلاَّ وَأَذْكَى بمُهْجَتِي لَهَبا

No breeze of the east wind blew from your direction

The breeze of your love has blown,

But it kindled a flame in my heart.

Igniting in my heart a flame.

وَلاَ شَدَا مُطْربٌ بذِكْرِكُمْ

وَلاَ شَدَا مُطْربٌ بذِكْرِكُمْ

إلاَّ وَنَادَى المَشُوُقُ واطرَبا

إلاَّ وَنَادَى المَشُوُقُ واطرَبا

Nor did a singer sing of you

No minstrel sings in your name,

But the yearning lover cried, "Oh, what rapture!"

Without longing overflowing unrestrained.

وَلاَ تَذكُرْتُ عِيشَةَ سَلفَتْ

وَلاَ تَذكُرْتُ عِيشَةَ سَلفَتْ

بالخِيفِ إلاَّ وَقلْتُ وَا حَرَبا

بالخِيفِ إلاَّ وَقلْتُ وَا حَرَبا

Nor did I recall a life gone by

Remembering days gone by with you,

At al-Khayf without crying, "Alas, what grief!"

I cry "Alas for youth now enchained!"

لا نَالَ مِنْكَ المَشُوُقُ بُغْيَتَهُ

لا نَالَ مِنْكَ المَشُوُقُ بُغْيَتَهُ

إِنْ كان يَوْماً إلى سِوَاكَ صَبَا

إِنْ كان يَوْماً إلى سِوَاكَ صَبَا

May the yearning lover never gain his desire from you

The lover cannot gain his desire,

If ever he has yearned for anyone but you.

If but a day he sought another's domain.

يَا حَبْذا لَوْعَتي عَليْكَ وَيَا

يَا حَبْذا لَوْعَتي عَليْكَ وَيَا

بُشْرَاىَ إنْ مُتُّ فِيكَ مُكْتَئِبا

بُشْرَاىَ إنْ مُتُّ فِيكَ مُكْتَئِبا

Oh, how sweet my anguish for you—and oh,

How wonderful to pine for you,

My joy, should I die grief-stricken for love of you!

To die while still with longing remained.

أحْبَابَنا هَلْ بقُرْبِكُمْ أَمَلُ

أحْبَابَنا هَلْ بقُرْبِكُمْ أَمَلُ

أَمْ هَلْ بوَصْلِكُمُ أَرَى سَبَبا

أَمْ هَلْ بوَصْلِكُمُ أَرَى سَبَبا

Our beloved ones, is there hope of nearness to you?

Friends, is hope near where you are?

Or do I see a means of union with you?

Or means to attain you ascertained?

آهاً لأَيَّامِنَا بقُرْبكُمُ

آهاً لأَيَّامِنَا بقُرْبكُمُ

وطِيبِ عَيْشٍ بِوَصْلِكُمْ ذهَبا

وطِيبِ عَيْشٍ بِوَصْلِكُمْ ذهَبا

Ah, for our days close to you,

Alas, for our days in your company,

And life's sweetness in union with you—both gone!

And life made sweet by you we disdained.

يَا سَائقَ العِيسِ نَحْوَ كاظِمَةٍ

يَا سَائقَ العِيسِ نَحْوَ كاظِمَةٍ

أَبْلغْ سَلامِي لِنَازِليِنَ قَبا

أَبْلغْ سَلامِي لِنَازِليِنَ قَبا

O driver of the white camels toward Kazimah,

O rider to Kadhimah bound,

Convey my greetings to those dwelling at Quba.

Convey my greetings to dwellers on that plain.

وقلْ قضَى ذلِكَ المَشُوُقُ بِكُمْ

وقلْ قضَى ذلِكَ المَشُوُقُ بِكُمْ

وَمَا قضَى مِنْ وصَالِكُمْ أَرَبا

وَمَا قضَى مِنْ وصَالِكُمْ أَرَبا

And say, "That lover yearning for you has died,

Say that the longing one has had his fill,

And never fulfilled his desire for union with you."

Though never enough of your presence he gained.