تَنامينَ لا تَدرينَ ما لَيلُ ذي هَوىً

تَنامينَ لا تَدرينَ ما لَيلُ ذي هَوىً

وَما يَفعَلُ التَسهيدُ بِالهائِمِ الصَبِّ

وَما يَفعَلُ التَسهيدُ بِالهائِمِ الصَبِّ

You sleep, not knowing what a lover's night is like,

You sleep, unaware of the night of passion,

and what sleeplessness does to the wandering, lovesick one.

And what wakefulness does to the lovesick, restless one.

سَلي عَن مَبيتي مَن رَأى ذَلِكَ البَلا

سَلي عَن مَبيتي مَن رَأى ذَلِكَ البَلا

فَباتَ مَبيتي في عَذابٍ وَفي كَربِ

فَباتَ مَبيتي في عَذابٍ وَفي كَربِ

Ask one who witnessed that affliction about my night,

Ask about my night's vigil, whoever saw that affliction,

and spent the night as I did, in torment and anguish.

For I spent the night in torment and hardship.

أَدَرتُ الهَوى حَتّى إِذا كانَ كالرَحى

أَدَرتُ الهَوى حَتّى إِذا كانَ كالرَحى

جَعَلتُ لَهُ قَلبي بِمَنزِلَةِ القُطبِ

جَعَلتُ لَهُ قَلبي بِمَنزِلَةِ القُطبِ

I set love turning until it became like a millstone,

I endured desire until, as the millstone turns,

then made my heart its axle.

I made my heart for it a fixed pole.

وَجاهِلَةٍ بِالحُبِّ لَم تَدرِ طَعمَهُ

وَجاهِلَةٍ بِالحُبِّ لَم تَدرِ طَعمَهُ

وَقَد تَرَكَتني أَعلَمَ الناسِ بِالحُبِّ

وَقَد تَرَكَتني أَعلَمَ الناسِ بِالحُبِّ

And a woman ignorant of love, who has never known its taste,

An ignorant woman who knows not the taste of love,

has left me knowing love better than anyone.

Yet she left me the most knowledgeable man of love.

أَقامَت عَلى قَلبي رَقيباً وَناظِري

أَقامَت عَلى قَلبي رَقيباً وَناظِري

فَلَيسَ يُؤَدّي عَن سِواها إِلى قَلبي

فَلَيسَ يُؤَدّي عَن سِواها إِلى قَلبي

She stationed a watchman over my heart and my eye,

She set upon my heart a watcher and observer,

so he conveys nothing about anyone but her to my heart.

So nothing can convey to my heart but her.

وَقَد كُنتُ أَشكو عَتبَها وَعِتابَها

وَقَد كُنتُ أَشكو عَتبَها وَعِتابَها

فَقَد فَجَعَتني بِالعِتابِ وَبِالعَتبِ

فَقَد فَجَعَتني بِالعِتابِ وَبِالعَتبِ

I used to complain of her reproach and her rebukes;

I used to complain of her rebukes and reprimands,

but now she has left me bereft of rebukes and reproach.

But she pained me with reproach and blame.

وَأَظمَأُ مَمنوعَ الوُرودِ إِلَيكُمُ

وَأَظمَأُ مَمنوعَ الوُرودِ إِلَيكُمُ

كَما يَظمَأُ الصادي إِلى البارِدِ العَذبِ

كَما يَظمَأُ الصادي إِلى البارِدِ العَذبِ

And I thirst, barred from coming to you,

I thirst, denied access to you,

as the parched one thirsts for cool, sweet water.

As the wanderer thirsts for cool, fresh water.

وَقائِلَةٍ بِالجَهلِ يا لَيتَ أَنَّها

وَقائِلَةٍ بِالجَهلِ يا لَيتَ أَنَّها

تُلاقي الَّذي تَلقى مِنَ الجُهدِ وَالكَربِ

تُلاقي الَّذي تَلقى مِنَ الجُهدِ وَالكَربِ

And a woman said in ignorance, 'Oh, if only she

And she says in ignorance, “If only she

endured the hardship and anguish you endure!'

Would encounter what I face of effort and hardship!”

فَقُلتُ لَها ما أَشتَهي أَن يُصيبَها

فَقُلتُ لَها ما أَشتَهي أَن يُصيبَها

بَلائي وَلَكِن بَعضُ ما بي مِنَ الحُبِّ

بَلائي وَلَكِن بَعضُ ما بي مِنَ الحُبِّ

So I said to her, 'I do not wish upon her

I said to her, “I do not wish to befall her

my affliction, but some of the love within me.'

My afflictions, but some of the love I have.”

لَعَمري إِن كانَ المُقَرِّبُ مِنكُمُ

لَعَمري إِن كانَ المُقَرِّبُ مِنكُمُ

هَوىً صادِقاً إِنّي لَمُستَوجِبُ القُربِ

هَوىً صادِقاً إِنّي لَمُستَوجِبُ القُربِ

By my life, if what brings one close to you

By my life! If the one brought near you

is sincere love, then I surely deserve closeness.

Is of sincere passion, I deserve nearness.

سَأَرعى وَما اِستَوجَبتِ مِنّي رِعايَةً

سَأَرعى وَما اِستَوجَبتِ مِنّي رِعايَةً

وَأُنزِلُ بي ذَنباً وَلَستُ بِذي ذَنبِ

وَأُنزِلُ بي ذَنباً وَلَستُ بِذي ذَنبِ

I shall care for you, though you have deserved no care from me,

I will tend, though I earned no tenderness from you,

and lay blame upon myself, though I am without fault.

And bring blame upon myself, though I am not to blame.