ما لعينَيّ مذ هويت اغتماض

ما لعينَيّ مذ هويت اغتماض

هل من النوم للجفون اعتياض

هل من النوم للجفون اعتياض

My eyes have not closed since I fell in love.

Since I fell in love, my eyes know no rest

Can the eyelids find any substitute for sleep?

Will my eyelids ever again be at peace?

شاهد بالهوى عليّ نحولي

شاهد بالهوى عليّ نحولي

وبكاي وقلبي النباض

وبكاي وقلبي النباض

My wasting testifies against me that I am in love,

My love bears witness to my gauntness

as do my weeping and my throbbing heart.

And my tears and throbbing heart

لا لعمري ما يصنع السيف في المه

لا لعمري ما يصنع السيف في المه

جة ما تصنع الجفون المراض

جة ما تصنع الجفون المراض

No, by my life, the sword does not do to the soul

By my life, no sword in battle

what languid eyelids do.

Wreaks such havoc as my ailing eyes

راض قلبي الهوى فلان وقد كا

راض قلبي الهوى فلان وقد كا

ن جموحا يهابهُ الرواض

ن جموحا يهابهُ الرواض

Love tamed my heart, and it softened, though it had

My heart is pleased with so-and-so

been headstrong, feared by its tamers.

He was unruly, feared by meadows

بدر تمّ أصارَ قلبي معنّى

بدر تمّ أصارَ قلبي معنّى

بالتصابي وقد علاني البياض

بالتصابي وقد علاني البياض

A full moon has left my heart tormented

The full moon has set my heart on fire

by youthful dalliance, though white hair has covered me.

With sparks that make my torment plain

وهلالٌ بدا على غصن بان

وهلالٌ بدا على غصن بان

فيه للمزح شيمة وانقباض

فيه للمزح شيمة وانقباض

And a crescent appeared upon a bān-tree bough;

A crescent appeared on a branch

he has a taste for jesting, yet also reserve.

Sportively, with charm and coyness

أنبت السوسن المنير مع الور

أنبت السوسن المنير مع الور

د بخدّيه للمحبّ العضاض

د بخدّيه للمحبّ العضاض

He made radiant irises grow beside roses

The glowing lily and the rose

upon his cheeks, for the lover who bites.

Have sprouted on my cheek for my lover who bites

وكل القلب بالتصابي وقد كا

وكل القلب بالتصابي وقد كا

ن زمانا للنسك فيه اعتراض

ن زمانا للنسك فيه اعتراض

The heart was given over to youthful dalliance, though it had

And my whole heart is afire

for a time been checked by piety.

Though once it was devout and ascetic

عنّ لي حبّه وقد عبث الشي

عنّ لي حبّه وقد عبث الشي

ب برأسي وفي قناتي انخفاض

ب برأسي وفي قناتي انخفاض

Love for him came upon me, though gray hair had already played

Tell him of my love, though mischief

with my head, and my spear-shaft was bowed.

Has toyed with my head and humbled my pride

بعد ما عبثت صروف الليالي

بعد ما عبثت صروف الليالي

في شبابي فحان منه انقراض

في شبابي فحان منه انقراض

After the vicissitudes of the nights had toyed

After the nights had their way

with my youth, and the time for its passing had come.

With my youth and brought its ruin

وإلى الله أشتكي طول شوقي

وإلى الله أشتكي طول شوقي

واغترابي وللغريب ارتماض

واغترابي وللغريب ارتماض

And to God I complain of my long yearning

To God I complain of my endless longing

and my exile; the stranger feels burning anguish.

My estrangement and a stranger's life

وأشدّ الأشياء أن معاشي

وأشدّ الأشياء أن معاشي

واحترافي على الإله افتراض

واحترافي على الإله افتراض

And hardest of all is that my livelihood

Most cruel is that my daily bread

and my earnings are an obligation upon God,

Comes through imposing on the Divine

حين لا جابر لعظم مهيض

حين لا جابر لعظم مهيض

لا ولا رائش ولا منهاض

لا ولا رائش ولا منهاض

when there is no one to mend a bone broken anew—

When there is no curer for my grave condition

no, nor a benefactor, nor anyone to rise in aid.

No mender or soother of my plight

أصبحَ الدهرُ مثل لحّة بحر

أصبحَ الدهرُ مثل لحّة بحر

ليس فيه للمعتفين مخاض

ليس فيه للمعتفين مخاض

Time has become like the depths of a sea,

The days have become like a flash of lightning

where those seeking bounty can find no ford.

With no gains for those who aspire