كَيْفَ يُصْغي لِعاذِلٍ أَوْ يَميلُ

كَيْفَ يُصْغي لِعاذِلٍ أَوْ يَميلُ

مُغْرَمٌ شَفَّهُ ضَنىً وَنُحولُ

مُغْرَمٌ شَفَّهُ ضَنىً وَنُحولُ

How can he heed a reproacher or yield—

How can one who is lovesick listen to a blamer or incline,

a lover worn thin by sickness and wasting?

Smitten, his cheeks thinning and body wasting?

لِيَ شُغْلٌ بِالحُبّ حَتَّى عَنِ الحُب

لِيَ شُغْلٌ بِالحُبّ حَتَّى عَنِ الحُب

بِ فَماذَا عَسَى يَقولُ العَذُولُ

بِ فَماذَا عَسَى يَقولُ العَذُولُ

I am engrossed in love, even to the exclusion of love;

I am preoccupied with love, even not thinking of love,

so what can the reproacher possibly say?

What then can the blamer possibly say?

إِنّ لِلحُبّ مَعْرِكاً يَسْخَطُ القَا

إِنّ لِلحُبّ مَعْرِكاً يَسْخَطُ القَا

تِلُ فيهِ وَيَرْتَضي المَقْتُولُ

تِلُ فيهِ وَيَرْتَضي المَقْتُولُ

Indeed, love has a battlefield: the slayer is displeased

For love there is a battle that angers the critic

there, while the slain is content.

And in which the slain is content.

يا مَلُولاً وَمَالِكاً ما الَّذي يَصْ

يا مَلُولاً وَمَالِكاً ما الَّذي يَصْ

نَعُ فِيكَ المَمْلُوكُ وَالمَمْلُولُ

نَعُ فِيكَ المَمْلُوكُ وَالمَمْلُولُ

O easily bored master, what can

O beauty who owns me, what can

your slave, whom you tire of, do about you?

The owned and the owner accomplish?

دُونَ نَيْلِ الوِصَالِ مِنْكَ خُطُوبٌ

دُونَ نَيْلِ الوِصَالِ مِنْكَ خُطُوبٌ

كُلَّما خِلْتُهَا تَهُونُ تَهُولُ

كُلَّما خِلْتُهَا تَهُونُ تَهُولُ

Calamities bar the way to union with you;

Without attaining union with you are tribulations

whenever I think they will ease, they grow dreadful.

That become easier each time I face them.

لِلسُّيوفِ الحدادِ ضَرْبٌ وللسُّم

لِلسُّيوفِ الحدادِ ضَرْبٌ وللسُّم

رِ طِعانٌ وَللجِيادِ صَهِيلُ

رِ طِعانٌ وَللجِيادِ صَهِيلُ

Sharp swords strike, and tawny spears

To the sharpened swords belong striking, to the spearheads stabbing, and to the steeds neighing,

thrust, and the steeds neigh.

Where has intimacy gone? Nay, where was estrangement? How can the lowly attain it?

أَيْنَ راحُ الوِصالِ بَلْ أَيْنَ كانَ ال

أَيْنَ راحُ الوِصالِ بَلْ أَيْنَ كانَ ال

هَجْرُ بَلْ كَيْفَ لِلدنوِّ سَبيلُ

هَجْرُ بَلْ كَيْفَ لِلدنوِّ سَبيلُ

Where is the wine of union? Nay, where was

If my eyes complain of the long night,

estrangement? Nay, how can there be a path to nearness?

I say, gentle, the winter night is long.

إِنْ شَكَا الطَّرْفُ باكِياً طُولَ لَيْلٍ

إِنْ شَكَا الطَّرْفُ باكِياً طُولَ لَيْلٍ

قُلْتُ مَهْلاً لَيْلُ الشِّتاءِ طَوِيلُ

قُلْتُ مَهْلاً لَيْلُ الشِّتاءِ طَوِيلُ

If the eye complains, weeping, of a long night,

What aids me regarding passion except lamenting?

I say, 'Be patient: the winter night is long.'

In calamities he is a lion who attacks.

ما مُعيني عَلى الهَوَى غَيرُ نَدْبٍ

ما مُعيني عَلى الهَوَى غَيرُ نَدْبٍ

هُوَ فِي الحَادِثاتِ لَيثٌ يَصُولُ

هُوَ فِي الحَادِثاتِ لَيثٌ يَصُولُ

None aids me in love but a gallant man,

By whom was time battled with a sword?

who, amid calamities, is a charging lion.

And by whom was brotherhood sought with a friend?

وَلِمنْ حَارب الزَّمانَ حُسامٌ

وَلِمنْ حَارب الزَّمانَ حُسامٌ

وَلِمنْ حَاوَلَ الإخَاءَ خَليلُ

وَلِمنْ حَاوَلَ الإخَاءَ خَليلُ

And a keen sword for whoever battles Time,

O abundant in kindness, indeed abundant

and a close friend for whoever seeks brotherhood.

In praise for what you comprise is little.

يَا كَثيرَ الإحْسانِ إِنَّ كَثيرَ ال

يَا كَثيرَ الإحْسانِ إِنَّ كَثيرَ ال

مَدْحِ فيما حَويْتَهُ لَقَلِيلُ

مَدْحِ فيما حَويْتَهُ لَقَلِيلُ

O you of abundant kindness, even abundant

And generous in kindness, harm has not touched you

praise is surely scant beside what you possess.

When debasement has come to you - it is stingy.

وَكَريمَ الإحسان ما ضَرَّكَ الدَّهْ

وَكَريمَ الإحسان ما ضَرَّكَ الدَّهْ

رُ إِذَا ما وَافاكَ وَهْوَ بَخيلُ

رُ إِذَا ما وَافاكَ وَهْوَ بَخيلُ

And you of noble kindness, Time does you no harm

I have witnesses of loyalty and virtue

when it comes to you miserly.

That from your love I have no deviance.

لِي شُهودٌ مِنَ الوَفاءِ عُدولٌ

لِي شُهودٌ مِنَ الوَفاءِ عُدولٌ

أَنَّنِي عن هَواكَ ما لِي عُدُولُ

أَنَّنِي عن هَواكَ ما لِي عُدُولُ

I have upright witnesses of fidelity,

Do not blame me if I fell short in praise

attesting that I do not turn away from love for you.

For my excuse with people is acceptable.

لا تَلُمْنِي إن كُنْتُ قَصَّرْتُ في المَدْ

لا تَلُمْنِي إن كُنْتُ قَصَّرْتُ في المَدْ

حِ فَعُذْرِي عِنْدَ الوَرى مَقْبُولُ

حِ فَعُذْرِي عِنْدَ الوَرى مَقْبُولُ

Do not blame me if I have fallen short in praise;

Can a tongue encompass a description of you

for my excuse is accepted among humankind.

In which the literal and figurative expire?

هَلْ يُحيطُ اللِّسانُ مِنْكَ بِوَصْفٍ

هَلْ يُحيطُ اللِّسانُ مِنْكَ بِوَصْفٍ

فِيهِ يَفْنَى المَنْقُولُ وَالمَعْقُولُ

فِيهِ يَفْنَى المَنْقُولُ وَالمَعْقُولُ

Can the tongue encompass a description of you

in which transmitted lore and rational thought are exhausted?