قُلْtell لِيto me بِعَيْشِكَby your life هَلْwhether عَلىin the face of هَذاthis الجَفَاcoldness
قُلْ لِي بِعَيْشِكَ هَلْ عَلى هَذا الجَفَا
تَبْقَىsurvive قُلُوبٌhearts أَوْor تَدُومُendure عُقولُminds
تَبْقَى قُلُوبٌ أَوْ تَدُومُ عُقولُ
Tell me, by your life, amid such coldness, can
Tell me, will hearts or minds endure this estrangement?
Hearts survive, or minds endure?
Why did your cheek deal so unjustly in apportioning
ماwhat بالُis the matter with خَدّكَyour cheek جَارَhas been unjust فيin تَقْسِيمِهِits apportioning
ما بالُ خَدّكَ جَارَ في تَقْسِيمِهِ
لِيfor me نارُهُits fire وَلِغَيْرِيَand for someone other than me التَّقْبِيلُkissing
لِي نارُهُ وَلِغَيْرِيَ التَّقْبِيلُ
Why has your cheek been unjust in its sharing?
Its flame for me, its kiss for another?
Its fire is for me, but its kisses for someone else.
O you whose glances are lively as a spear—
ياO طَرْفَهُhis gaze والرُّمْحُand the spear فيهin it نَضَارَةٌfreshness
يا طَرْفَهُ والرُّمْحُ فيه نَضَارَةٌ
فَعلامَso why فِيin حَدِّthe edge السِّنانِthe spearhead ذُبُولُwithering
فَعلامَ فِي حَدِّ السِّنانِ ذُبُولُ
O his gaze—though the spear is fresh—
Why then is the edge of your glance so blunt?
Why, then, does the spearhead's edge wither?
O you whom I made the pillar of our love—
ياO مَنْone who جَعَلْتُI have made إِخاءَهُhis friendship لِيfor me عُدَّةًa provision
يا مَنْ جَعَلْتُ إِخاءَهُ لِي عُدَّةً
فِيon يَوْمِa day يَدَّخِرُالخَلِيلَkeeps the friend in reserve خليلُa friend
فِي يَوْمِ يَدَّخِرُالخَلِيلَ خليلُ
O you whose friendship I have made my provision,
One day the bosom's friend finds the bosom cold.
For a day when a friend keeps a friend in reserve.
Why does your heart ignore the madness of passion?
مَاwhat بَالُis the matter with قَلْبكَyour heart ماnot دَعَتْهُhas summoned it صَبابةٌardent longing
مَا بَالُ قَلْبكَ ما دَعَتْهُ صَبابةٌ
مَاwhat بَالُis the matter with دَمْعكَyour tears ماnot عَراهhas befallen it هُمُولُstreaming
مَا بَالُ دَمْعكَ ما عَراه هُمُولُ
What ails your heart, that longing has not summoned it?
Why do your tears disregard the call of ardor?
What ails your tears, that they have not streamed?
Where is the affection? It is so rare.
أَيْنَwhere المَودَّةُaffection إِنَّهَاindeed it is لَعزِيزةٌtruly rare
أَيْنَ المَودَّةُ إِنَّهَا لَعزِيزةٌ
أَيْنَwhere التَّودُّدُshowing affection إِنَّهُindeed it is لَقَليلُtruly scant
أَيْنَ التَّودُّدُ إِنَّهُ لَقَليلُ
Where is affection? It is truly rare.
Where is the intimacy? It is so little.
Where is loving kindness? It is truly scant.
Where is the sympathizer for the afflicted by passion?
أَيْنَwhere المُعينُthe helper عَلىwith الصَّبَابةِardent longing أَهْلَهاits sufferers
أَيْنَ المُعينُ عَلى الصَّبَابةِ أَهْلَها
لِيَخِفَّso it may lighten عِبْءُthe burden الوَجْدِpassion فَهْوَfor it is ثَقِيلُheavy
لِيَخِفَّ عِبْءُ الوَجْدِ فَهْوَ ثَقِيلُ
Where is one to help lovers bear their longing,
To lighten the burden of anguish, for it is heavy.
So the burden of passion may lighten—for it is heavy?
Where is the one who bears the traits of Mohammed?
أَيْنَwhere الَّذيthe one who يَحْويpossesses صِفَاتthe qualities of مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad
أَيْنَ الَّذي يَحْوي صِفَات مُحَمَّدٍ
هَيْهاتَfar beyond reach عَزَّis hard to find فَماso there is no إِلَيهِto him سَبِيلُway
هَيْهاتَ عَزَّ فَما إِلَيهِ سَبِيلُ
Where is the one who possesses Muhammad's qualities?
Alas he is difficult to attain, no path leads to him.
Far beyond reach! He is hard to find, and no path leads to him.
Partial English translation: 15 of 16 Arabic lines translated.