مَنْ لي بِهِ كَالبَدْرِ في إِسْفارِهِ

مَنْ لي بِهِ كَالبَدْرِ في إِسْفارِهِ

نَفَرَ المُحِبُّ عَنِ الكَرَى بِنِفارِهِ

نَفَرَ المُحِبُّ عَنِ الكَرَى بِنِفارِهِ

Who will bring him to me, like the full moon when he unveils his face?

Who is like the full moon in its rising

The lover fled from slumber at his beloved’s flight.

The lover fled from grief through his aversion

قَدْ كُنْتُ أَرْجُو جَنَّةً بِمُحَمَّدٍ

قَدْ كُنْتُ أَرْجُو جَنَّةً بِمُحَمَّدٍ

وَاليَوْمَ أَخْشَى في الهَوَى مِنْ نَارِهِ

وَاليَوْمَ أَخْشَى في الهَوَى مِنْ نَارِهِ

I once hoped for paradise through Muhammad,

I used to hope for heaven through Muhammad

And today, in love, I fear his fire.

Today I fear the fire of his passion

يَا نَجْمُ بَلْ يَا بَدْرُ بَل يا شَمْسُ بَلْ

يَا نَجْمُ بَلْ يَا بَدْرُ بَل يا شَمْسُ بَلْ

كُلٌّ أَراهُ يَلُوح مِنْ أَزْرارِهِ

كُلٌّ أَراهُ يَلُوح مِنْ أَزْرارِهِ

O star—rather, O full moon—rather, O sun—rather,

O star! O moon! O sun! Each one

I see each one gleaming from his buttons.

I see shining from his buttons

ما في صُدُودِكَ رَحْمةٌ لِمتيَّمٍ

ما في صُدُودِكَ رَحْمةٌ لِمتيَّمٍ

إِلّا احْتِمالُكَ عَنْهُ مِنْ أَوْزارِهِ

إِلّا احْتِمالُكَ عَنْهُ مِنْ أَوْزارِهِ

In your rejection there is no mercy for one enslaved by love,

There is no mercy in your bosoms for the lovesick

Except your bearing some of his sins on his behalf.

Except your enduring his burdens

فَارْفِقْ بِهِ واحْذَرْ فَدَيْتُكَ أَهْلَهُ

فَارْفِقْ بِهِ واحْذَرْ فَدَيْتُكَ أَهْلَهُ

في الحُبِّ أَن يتطلَّبوكَ بِثارِهِ

في الحُبِّ أَن يتطلَّبوكَ بِثارِهِ

So be gentle with him, and beware—may I be your ransom—of his kin

So be gentle with him, and beware - I sacrifice you - his family

In love, lest they pursue you to avenge him.

Lest they demand you repay his love

وَافى هَواكَ فَلَمْ يُزِلْ عَنْ قَلْبِهِ

وَافى هَواكَ فَلَمْ يُزِلْ عَنْ قَلْبِهِ

جَلَدٌ وَزَالَ الصَّوْنُ عَنْ أَسرارِهِ

جَلَدٌ وَزَالَ الصَّوْنُ عَنْ أَسرارِهِ

Love for you came, and was not driven from his heart

He fulfilled your love but did not cease from his heart

By fortitude; concealment fell away from his secrets.

A patience, though modesty left his secrets

هَيْهَاتَ يَطْمَعُ في لِقَاكَ وَدُونَهُ

هَيْهَاتَ يَطْمَعُ في لِقَاكَ وَدُونَهُ

خَطْرُ القَنا الميَّادِ مِنْ خُطَّارِهِ

خَطْرُ القَنا الميَّادِ مِنْ خُطَّارِهِ

How could he hope to meet you, when barring his way is

Alas! He who hopes for meeting you - and unlike him

The brandishing of swaying spears by their wielders?

The danger of arrows from his quiver

حَاشاه يا أملَ النُّفُوسِ بأَنْ يُرَى

حَاشاه يا أملَ النُّفُوسِ بأَنْ يُرَى

مُتَعدِّياً في الحُبِّ عَنْ مِقْدارِهِ

مُتَعدِّياً في الحُبِّ عَنْ مِقْدارِهِ

Far be it from him, O hope of souls, to be seen

Far be it, O hope of souls, that he be seen

Overstepping his bounds in love.

Transgressing in love beyond his measure