عِذَارُكَ مِنْ نَدٍّ يَجلُّ عَنِ النِدّ

عِذَارُكَ مِنْ نَدٍّ يَجلُّ عَنِ النِدّ

وَرِيقُكَ شَهْدٌ لا كَرامةَ لِلشَّهْدِ

وَرِيقُكَ شَهْدٌ لا كَرامةَ لِلشَّهْدِ

Your cheek-down is of aromatic perfume, beyond any equal.

Your blame from an adversity that rises above adversity,

And your saliva is honey—yet honey deserves no honor.

And your saliva is honey, and honey has no generosity.

وَلَحْظُكَ سَيْفٌ كَيْفَ أَصْبَحَ قاطِعاً

وَلَحْظُكَ سَيْفٌ كَيْفَ أَصْبَحَ قاطِعاً

وَليْسَ لَهُ واللّه في الحُسنِ مِنْ حَدِّ

وَليْسَ لَهُ واللّه في الحُسنِ مِنْ حَدِّ

And your glance is a sword—how has it become so sharp,

Your glance is a sword, how did it become so cutting?

when, by God, there is no limit to its beauty?

By God it has no limit in beauty.

حَبيبيَ شَرّفني بِكَتبك مُنْعِماً

حَبيبيَ شَرّفني بِكَتبك مُنْعِماً

فَقَدْ حَسُنَتْ شَرْعاً مُكَاتَبَةُ العَبْدِ

فَقَدْ حَسُنَتْ شَرْعاً مُكَاتَبَةُ العَبْدِ

My beloved, graciously honor me by writing to me;

My beloved, honor me with your writings, bestowing favor,

for correspondence with a slave is commendable in sacred law.

For corresponding with a slave is beautiful in law.

رَعى اللّه بَدْراً زار مِنْ غَيْرِ مَوْعدٍ

رَعى اللّه بَدْراً زار مِنْ غَيْرِ مَوْعدٍ

سَأَشْكُر مَحْبُوباً يَزُورُ بِلا وَعْدِ

سَأَشْكُر مَحْبُوباً يَزُورُ بِلا وَعْدِ

May God guard a full moon who visited without appointment.

May God shepherd the full moon who visited without appointment,

I shall thank a beloved who visits without a promise.

I will thank the beloved who visits without a promise.

وَيُصْبِحُ لِلإخْلاصِ قَلْبِي تَالياً

وَيُصْبِحُ لِلإخْلاصِ قَلْبِي تَالياً

وَيُمْسِي لِسَانِي تَالياً سُورةَ الحَمْدِ

وَيُمْسِي لِسَانِي تَالياً سُورةَ الحَمْدِ

And in the morning my heart recites al-Ikhlas (Sincerity),

And becomes in the morning sincerely my heart reciting,

and in the evening my tongue recites Surah al-Hamd (Praise).

And becomes in the evening my tongue reciting Surat Al-Hamd.

وَللّه جِيرانٌ على أَيْمَنِ الحِمَى

وَللّه جِيرانٌ على أَيْمَنِ الحِمَى

لَهُمْ أَبداً مِنّي حُنُوٌّ على بُعْدي

لَهُمْ أَبداً مِنّي حُنُوٌّ على بُعْدي

And—God be praised—what neighbors on the sanctuary's right!

And for God neighbors on the right side of the sanctuary,

I always feel tenderness for them, despite my distance.

For them from me always affection in my distance.

لقد حَملتْ رِيحُ الصَّبا مِنْ دِيارِهمْ

لقد حَملتْ رِيحُ الصَّبا مِنْ دِيارِهمْ

أَحاديثَ تَرْويهنّ عَنْ عَذبِ الرَّنْدِ

أَحاديثَ تَرْويهنّ عَنْ عَذبِ الرَّنْدِ

Indeed, the east wind has carried from their dwellings

The wind of morning carried from their dwellings,

tales it recounts from the sweet-scented laurel.

Conversations that quench related from the delicious randa.

فَأَهْدتْ إلى قَلْبي سُرُوراً على النَّوى

فَأَهْدتْ إلى قَلْبي سُرُوراً على النَّوى

فيا حُسْنَ ما تُمْلِي ويا طِيبَ ما تُهِدْي

فيا حُسْنَ ما تُمْلِي ويا طِيبَ ما تُهِدْي

So it bestowed joy upon my heart despite separation;

So it brought to my heart happiness upon purpose,

so how lovely what it dictates, and how sweet what it gives!

How good is what it dictates and how good is what it gives.

أيا سادةً ملّوا فَمِلْتُ إليْهِم

أيا سادةً ملّوا فَمِلْتُ إليْهِم

وَخَانُوا وَلي قَلْبٌ مُقيمٌ على العَهْدِ

وَخَانُوا وَلي قَلْبٌ مُقيمٌ على العَهْدِ

O masters who grew weary, yet I inclined toward them,

Oh masters, they filled up so I leaned toward them,

and they were faithless, while my heart remains true to the pledge.

And they betrayed while my heart remains loyal to the covenant.

تُرى يَسْمَحُ الدَّهرُ الضَّنينُ بِقُرْبِكُمْ

تُرى يَسْمَحُ الدَّهرُ الضَّنينُ بِقُرْبِكُمْ

وَأَحْظى بِكُمْ يا جِيرةَ العَلمِ الفَرْدِ

وَأَحْظى بِكُمْ يا جِيرةَ العَلمِ الفَرْدِ

Will miserly Time, I wonder, permit nearness to you,

Will time, the resentful, allow your nearness?

and shall I enjoy your company, O neighbors of the solitary mountain?

And I find favor with you, O unique learned neighbor.

إذا لَمْ يَكُنْ لِي عِنْدَكُمْ يا أَحبّتي

إذا لَمْ يَكُنْ لِي عِنْدَكُمْ يا أَحبّتي

مَحَلٌّ وَلا قَدْرٌ فَإنّ لَكُمْ عِنْدي

مَحَلٌّ وَلا قَدْرٌ فَإنّ لَكُمْ عِنْدي

If, my loved ones, I have with you neither

If I have no place or value with you, my loved ones,

a place nor esteem, then you have both with me.

Then for you with me is a place.