يَقولونَ لَو أَلهَمتَ قَلبَكَ غَيرَها

يَقولونَ لَو أَلهَمتَ قَلبَكَ غَيرَها

سَلَوتَ وَلا شَيءٌ سِواها يُوافِقُه

سَلَوتَ وَلا شَيءٌ سِواها يُوافِقُه

They say, “If you inspired your heart to love someone else,

They say, had you inspired your heart with another

you would forget her”—yet nothing but her suits it.

You would have found peace, for nothing equals her

وَلَو كُنتُ مِمَّن يَمذُقُ الحُبَّ كاذِباً

وَلَو كُنتُ مِمَّن يَمذُقُ الحُبَّ كاذِباً

وَجَدتُ كَثيراً غَيرَها مَن أُماذِقُه

وَجَدتُ كَثيراً غَيرَها مَن أُماذِقُه

And if I were one who dilutes love with falsehood,

Had I been one who tastes love falsely

I would find many besides her to whom I could offer false affection.

I'd have found many others to taste

جَحَدتُ الهَوى حَتّى إِذا كَشَفَ الهَوى

جَحَدتُ الهَوى حَتّى إِذا كَشَفَ الهَوى

غِطاءَ جُحودي وَاِستَنارَت حَقائِقُه

غِطاءَ جُحودي وَاِستَنارَت حَقائِقُه

I denied my passion until, when passion lifted

I denied passion until passion unveiled

the veil of my denial and its truths shone forth,

its truths, stripping the veil of my denial

سَكَتُّ وَلَم أَملِك شَهاداتِ حُبِّكم

سَكَتُّ وَلَم أَملِك شَهاداتِ حُبِّكم

وَنَمَّت عَلى وَجهي وِجِسمي نَواطِقُه

وَنَمَّت عَلى وَجهي وِجِسمي نَواطِقُه

I fell silent, and could not suppress the testimonies of my love for you,

I fell silent, unable to profess your love

and its telltale signs betrayed it on my face and body.

its witnesses blooming on my face and body

وَأَصبَحتُ مَنسوباً إِلى العِشقِ كُلَّما

وَأَصبَحتُ مَنسوباً إِلى العِشقِ كُلَّما

ذُكِرتُ وَلا يَدرونَ مَن أَنا عاشِقُه

ذُكِرتُ وَلا يَدرونَ مَن أَنا عاشِقُه

And I came to be linked to passionate love whenever

I came to be associated with love itself whenever

I was mentioned, though they do not know whom I love.

I was mentioned, though none knew who I loved