سَمَوت بِالنور ما كا

سَمَوت بِالنور ما كا

ن في أَشعة شَمس

ن في أَشعة شَمس

I soared through all the light that exis—

I soared with the light that was

—ted in the rays of the sun;

in the rays of a sun,

وَبِالجَمال مَتى كا

وَبِالجَمال مَتى كا

نَ في إِنطِلاق وَحَبس

نَ في إِنطِلاق وَحَبس

and through beauty, whenever it exis—

And with beauty, whenever it was

—ted in freedom and confinement;

in freedom and restraint,

وَبِالهَوى ما تَسامي

وَبِالهَوى ما تَسامي

عَلى ضلال وَلَبس

عَلى ضلال وَلَبس

and through love—all that rose

And with love, as it soared

above delusion and confusion;

above error and confusion,

وَبِالثَدي حَيث يَغدو

وَبِالثَدي حَيث يَغدو

وَبِالنَدى حَيث يرسي

وَبِالنَدى حَيث يرسي

through the breast, wherever it goes forth,

And with the breast, wherever it goes forth,

and through the dew, wherever it comes to rest.

And with the dew, wherever it settles.

طَفرت مِن صرح قَلبي

طَفرت مِن صرح قَلبي

إِلى قَرارة نَفسي

إِلى قَرارة نَفسي

I leapt from my heart’s high citadel

I leapt from the citadel of my heart

into my soul’s deepest core.

into the depths of my soul.

وَكُنتُ كَالدَم يَضحي

وَكُنتُ كَالدَم يَضحي

عَلى دَوي وَيُمسي

عَلى دَوي وَيُمسي

I was like blood that greets the morning

And I was like blood that spends the morning

with a pounding, and enters evening

amid a roar, and reaches evening,

يَظل يَرقى وَيَهوي

يَظل يَرقى وَيَهوي

مِن حادر في مجس

مِن حادر في مجس

still rising and plunging,

Ever rising and falling

down a slope within the pulse.

from a downward flow at a pulse-point.

وَكُنت كَالماء يَنصـ

وَكُنت كَالماء يَنصـ

ـب في دري وَجرس

ـب في دري وَجرس

And I was like water, pouring—

And I was like water, pouring

—forth in a flowing rush and ringing sound;

in pearly shimmer and ringing sound.

وَكُنت كَالنور يَرفـ

وَكُنت كَالنور يَرفـ

ـض في اِضطِراب وَهَمس

ـض في اِضطِراب وَهَمس

and I was like light, streaming—

And I was like light, scattering

—out amid tumult and whisper.

in turbulence and whispers.

مَلَأت روحي وَصَور

مَلَأت روحي وَصَور

ت في مَكامن حِسي

ت في مَكامن حِسي

You filled my soul and took shape—

I filled my spirit and shaped it

—within my senses’ hidden chambers.

in the hidden recesses of my senses.

وَزِنت يَومي وَعَلقـ

وَزِنت يَومي وَعَلقـ

ـت في صَحيفة أَمسي

ـت في صَحيفة أَمسي

You graced my day and were inscribed—

And I adorned my day and clung

—upon the record of my yesterday.

to the page of my yesterday.

وَماج قَلبي وَأَغضى

وَماج قَلبي وَأَغضى

عَلى جَلال وَقُدس

عَلى جَلال وَقُدس

My heart surged, then lowered its gaze

My heart surged and lowered its gaze

before majesty and holiness;

before majesty and sanctity,

وَراحَ يَركُض كَالبَحـ

وَراحَ يَركُض كَالبَحـ

ـر مِن جُنون وَمس

ـر مِن جُنون وَمس

then raced like the sea,

And went racing like the sea,

driven by madness and possession.

out of madness and possession.

يا هَذهِ عمرك اللـ

يا هَذهِ عمرك اللـ

ـه هَل سَمعت بِقَيس

ـه هَل سَمعت بِقَيس

O you there, I adjure you by Al—

O woman, I adjure you by God:

—lah: have you heard of Qays,

Have you heard of Qays—

فَتى يُقيم بِجَنبي

فَتى يُقيم بِجَنبي

بَينَ سَهم وَقَوس

بَينَ سَهم وَقَوس

a young man dwelling by my side,

A young man dwelling at my side

between arrow and bow?

between an arrow and a bow?

رَمته لَيلى بِجَنبيـ

رَمته لَيلى بِجَنبيـ

ـك وَاِستَعاذَت بِتُرس

ـك وَاِستَعاذَت بِتُرس

Layla shot him there beside—

Layla shot him with your two flanks

—you, then sought refuge behind a shield.

and sought refuge behind a shield.

كَفاكَ سِحراً وَحَسبي

كَفاكَ سِحراً وَحَسبي

ما قَد لَقَيت وَبسي

ما قَد لَقَيت وَبسي

Enough of your enchantment; enough for me

Enough of your enchantment; sufficient for me

is what I have suffered—and enough!

is what I have suffered—enough!