وَلَقَد قُلتُ وَالهُمومُ رُكودُ

وَلَقَد قُلتُ وَالهُمومُ رُكودُ

وَدُموعي عَلى الرِداءِ تَجودُ

وَدُموعي عَلى الرِداءِ تَجودُ

And indeed I said, while sorrows lay still,

I have said while worries were still

And my tears flowed freely onto my cloak:

And my tears flowed on my cloak

يا بَني آدَمٍ تَعالوا نُنادي

يا بَني آدَمٍ تَعالوا نُنادي

إِنَّما نَحنُ لِلنِساءِ عَبيدُ

إِنَّما نَحنُ لِلنِساءِ عَبيدُ

O sons of Adam, come, let us proclaim:

"O children of Adam, let's call out

We are nothing but slaves to women.

We are but slaves of women

مَن يَلُمني عَلى النِساءِ أَلُمهُ

مَن يَلُمني عَلى النِساءِ أَلُمهُ

أَنا وَاللَهِ لِلنِساءِ وَدودُ

أَنا وَاللَهِ لِلنِساءِ وَدودُ

Whoever blames me for loving women, I blame him;

He who blames me for women, I blame him

By God, I am fond of women.

By God, I am fond of women

يا جَواري حَدِّثنَني بِحاياتي

يا جَواري حَدِّثنَني بِحاياتي

هَل يُباعُ الحَبيبُ فيمَن يُريدُ

هَل يُباعُ الحَبيبُ فيمَن يُريدُ

O maidens, tell me, by my life:

O maidens, tell me of my affairs

Is the beloved sold to whoever wishes to buy?

Can a lover be sold to whoever wants?

فَذَراني في رَوضَةِ الحُبِّ أَرعى

فَذَراني في رَوضَةِ الحُبِّ أَرعى

أَتَمَشّى في نَبتِها وَأَرودُ

أَتَمَشّى في نَبتِها وَأَرودُ

So leave me, you two, to graze in love's meadow;

So let me graze in the garden of love

I stroll among its plants and roam.

And stroll through its plants satisfied

وَيحَ هَذا الهَوى لَقَد مَلَكَ النا

وَيحَ هَذا الهَوى لَقَد مَلَكَ النا

سَ وَصارَت لَهُ عَلَيهِم بُنودُ

سَ وَصارَت لَهُ عَلَيهِم بُنودُ

Alas for this passion! It has indeed mastered the people,

Alas, this passion has conquered people

And now its banners stand over them.

And made covenants over them

فَلَئِن قادَني هَوايَ لَقَد كا

فَلَئِن قادَني هَوايَ لَقَد كا

نَ تَصابي إِلى الهَوى داودُ

نَ تَصابي إِلى الهَوى داودُ

So if my passion has led me, indeed

So if my passion has led me

David had turned to love with youthful ardor.

David used to rave with passion as well

شَفَّني الشَوقُ يا سَعيدُ بِن عُثما

شَفَّني الشَوقُ يا سَعيدُ بِن عُثما

نَ فَبِاللَهِ مَنِّني يا سَعيدُ

نَ فَبِاللَهِ مَنِّني يا سَعيدُ

Longing has wasted me, O Sa‘id ibn ‘Uthman;

Yearning has healed me, O Sa'eed bin Uthman

So, by God, give me hope, O Sa‘id.

For God's sake, favor me, O Sa'eed

إِنَّ فَوزاً وَاللَهُ يُصلِحُ فَوزاً

إِنَّ فَوزاً وَاللَهُ يُصلِحُ فَوزاً

لِلدِيونِ الَّتي عَلَيها جَحودُ

لِلدِيونِ الَّتي عَلَيها جَحودُ

Indeed Fawz—and may God set Fawz right—

Success, by God who ordains success,

Stubbornly denies the debts she owes.

Belongs to debts which went unpaid

وَأَراني إِذا اِلتَقَينا أَغُضُّ الطَر

وَأَراني إِذا اِلتَقَينا أَغُضُّ الطَر

فَ مِن دونِها وَما بي صُدودُ

فَ مِن دونِها وَما بي صُدودُ

And I find myself, when we meet, lowering my gaze

When we meet, I lower my gaze

Before her, though I feel no aversion,

Not looking at her, though I have no grudges

هَيبَةً مِن جَلالِها مِثلَ ما يُق

هَيبَةً مِن جَلالِها مِثلَ ما يُق

صِرُ مِن دونِ والِدٍ مَولودُ

صِرُ مِن دونِ والِدٍ مَولودُ

Out of awe for her majesty, just as

Awe, from her majesty, like an infant's

A child holds back before a father.

Awe of a parent though grown

نَحنُ في مَحبِسِ الهَوى قَد قَرَرنا

نَحنُ في مَحبِسِ الهَوى قَد قَرَرنا

وَعَلَينا سَلاسِلٌ وَقُيودُ

وَعَلَينا سَلاسِلٌ وَقُيودُ

We have settled in the prison of love,

We are imprisoned by passion, and have accepted

And upon us are chains and fetters.

Our chains and shackles

لا يَكادُ الهَوى يُفارِقُ صَبّاً

لا يَكادُ الهَوى يُفارِقُ صَبّاً

بَل أَراهُ في كُلِّ يَومٍ يَزيدُ

بَل أَراهُ في كُلِّ يَومٍ يَزيدُ

Passion scarcely ever leaves a lovesick lover;

Passion rarely leaves a youth

Rather, I see it grow with each passing day.

Rather, I see it grow every day