وَمُستَفتِحٍ بابَ البَلاءِ بِنَظرَةٍ

وَمُستَفتِحٍ بابَ البَلاءِ بِنَظرَةٍ

تَزَوَّدَ مِنها حَسرَةً آخِرَ الدَهرِ

تَزَوَّدَ مِنها حَسرَةً آخِرَ الدَهرِ

And many a man, opening affliction's door with a glance,

Opening the door of affliction with a glance,

has taken sorrow from it as provision until the end of time.

He gained lifelong sorrow from it.

فَوَاللَهِ ما يَدري أَتَدري بِما جَنَت

فَوَاللَهِ ما يَدري أَتَدري بِما جَنَت

عَلى قَلبِهِ أَو أَهلَكَتهُ وَما تَدري

عَلى قَلبِهِ أَو أَهلَكَتهُ وَما تَدري

For, by God, he does not know whether she knows what harm she has done

By God, he knows not what it did to his heart -

to his heart, or has destroyed him without knowing.

Whether it delighted or destroyed it, he knows not.

أَنا الهائِمُ المَشغوفُ بِالبَدرِ إِذ بَدا

أَنا الهائِمُ المَشغوفُ بِالبَدرِ إِذ بَدا

وَهَيهاتَ مَن لي بِالسَبيلِ إِلى البَدرِ

وَهَيهاتَ مَن لي بِالسَبيلِ إِلى البَدرِ

I am the lovesick one, enthralled by the full moon when it appeared.

I pine for the moon when it rises,

But how far beyond reach! Who can show me the path to the full moon?

Alas! Who can guide me to the moon?

وَما اِستَمكَنَت عَيني مِنَ النَظَرِ الَّذي

وَما اِستَمكَنَت عَيني مِنَ النَظَرِ الَّذي

أُداوي بِهِ قَلبي وَأَشفي بِهِ صَدري

أُداوي بِهِ قَلبي وَأَشفي بِهِ صَدري

And my eye has not had the chance for the gaze with which

My eyes could not sufficiently gaze,

I soothe my heart and heal my breast.

With which I heal my heart and remedy my chest.

وَلَو كانَ حُبّيها كَما هِيَ أَهلُه

وَلَو كانَ حُبّيها كَما هِيَ أَهلُه

لَمُتُّ وَما لي غَيرُ ذَلِكَ مِن عُذرِ

لَمُتُّ وَما لي غَيرُ ذَلِكَ مِن عُذرِ

And were my love for her such as she deserves,

If my love for her were like she deserves,

I would have died; I have no excuse but that.

I would have died - I have no other excuse.

تَخاذَلَتِ الأَوصالُ مِنّي فَلَم أُطِق

تَخاذَلَتِ الأَوصالُ مِنّي فَلَم أُطِق

نُهوضاً بِوَقرِ الحُبِّ وَالحُبُّ ذو وَقرِ

نُهوضاً بِوَقرِ الحُبِّ وَالحُبُّ ذو وَقرِ

My limbs gave way, so I could not

My limbs betrayed me, so I could not

rise under love's burden—and love has weight.

Bear the gravity of love, and love is grave.

وَلِلشَوقِ سُلطانٌ عَلى الدَمعِ كُلَّما

وَلِلشَوقِ سُلطانٌ عَلى الدَمعِ كُلَّما

دَعاهُ تَداعى غَيرَ وانٍ وَلا نَزرِ

دَعاهُ تَداعى غَيرَ وانٍ وَلا نَزرِ

And longing holds dominion over tears: whenever

Yearning has power over tears, whenever

it summons them, they respond, neither lagging nor scant.

It calls them, they flow profusely, boundless and unchecked.