هَل الحُبُّ إِلّا أَن وَقَفتُ بِدارِ

هَل الحُبُّ إِلّا أَن وَقَفتُ بِدارِ

وَرَدتُ إِلَيها فَاِستُخِفَّ وَقاري

وَرَدتُ إِلَيها فَاِستُخِفَّ وَقاري

Is love anything but that I stood at a dwelling,

Is love naught but my standing at the abode,

Came to it, and so my dignity was made light of?

And my returning, deeming my dignity lowered?

وَلَيسَ لِذِكرِ جَرَّ دَمعاً جِنايَةٌ

وَلَيسَ لِذِكرِ جَرَّ دَمعاً جِنايَةٌ

وَهَل غَيرُ ماءٍ كَفَّ جُرأَةَ نارِ

وَهَل غَيرُ ماءٍ كَفَّ جُرأَةَ نارِ

And no crime lies in a remembrance that drew tears;

Recalling with tears is no crime,

And has anything but water checked the boldness of fire?

What else but water could quell the fire's boldness?

غُصونُ النَقا أَنكَرتُها وَعَرَفتُها

غُصونُ النَقا أَنكَرتُها وَعَرَفتُها

بِقَلبِ مُقِرٍّ أَو بِعَينِ مُمارِ

بِقَلبِ مُقِرٍّ أَو بِعَينِ مُمارِ

The dune's boughs—I denied them and recognized them,

The branches of Nâqâ I knew yet denied,

With a heart that acknowledges, or an eye that disputes.

With acquiescent heart or roving eye.

إِذا هِيَ هَمَّت بِاِعتِناقي رَدَدتُها

إِذا هِيَ هَمَّت بِاِعتِناقي رَدَدتُها

وَقُلتُ لَها ما جِئتِني بِثِمارِ

وَقُلتُ لَها ما جِئتِني بِثِمارِ

When she sought to embrace me, I turned her away,

When they moved to embrace me I rebuffed them,

And said to her, 'You have brought me no fruit.'

Saying you've not brought me ripe fruits.

وَأَنتُم زَماني ما عَرَفتُ سِواكُمُ

وَأَنتُم زَماني ما عَرَفتُ سِواكُمُ

رِضاكُم وَسُخطٌ لَيلتي وَنَهاري

رِضاكُم وَسُخطٌ لَيلتي وَنَهاري

And you are my time; I have known none but you.

You are my time, none but you I have known,

Your favor and displeasure are my night and my day.

Your pleasure and displeasure alternate my night and day,

وَأَنفاسُكُم لَيلُ الوِصالِ وَصَدُّكُم

وَأَنفاسُكُم لَيلُ الوِصالِ وَصَدُّكُم

لَهُ أَثَرٌ ما سَرَّكُم بِعِذاري

لَهُ أَثَرٌ ما سَرَّكُم بِعِذاري

And your breaths are the night of union, and your rejection

Your breaths are the night of union, your aloofness

Has left a mark upon my sideburns that has not pleased you.

Leaves in me traces, though you delighted me with excuses.

فَإِن عاقَبوني في الهَوى بِذُنوبِهِم

فَإِن عاقَبوني في الهَوى بِذُنوبِهِم

فَمِنهُم إِلَيهِم أَن فَرَرتُ فِراري

فَمِنهُم إِلَيهِم أَن فَرَرتُ فِراري

So if they punish me in love for their sins,

If they punish me for their sins in love,

Then my flight from them is a flight back to them.

Then for them to them I fled in my flight.

مَنابِرَ لِلإِسلامَ قامَت سُيوفُكُم

مَنابِرَ لِلإِسلامَ قامَت سُيوفُكُم

يَقومُ لَها في الدَهرِ أَيُّ مَنارِ

يَقومُ لَها في الدَهرِ أَيُّ مَنارِ

Your swords rose as pulpits for Islam;

Pulpits for Islam your swords have erected,

What beacon through the ages could rise to match them?

For it in time which minaret vies?

تَمُرُّ بِها أَسماءُ قَومٍ عَوارِياً

تَمُرُّ بِها أَسماءُ قَومٍ عَوارِياً

وَأَسماؤُكُم يَخلُدنَ غَيرَ عَوارِ

وَأَسماؤُكُم يَخلُدنَ غَيرَ عَوارِ

The names of some men pass over them on loan,

By them pass the names of a transient folk,

And your names endure, not on loan.

While yours endure, never to pass away.

فَلا بَرِحَت سُحبُ المَنابِرِ مِنكُمُ

فَلا بَرِحَت سُحبُ المَنابِرِ مِنكُمُ

مُرَصَّعَةً مِن آلِكُم بِدَراري

مُرَصَّعَةً مِن آلِكُم بِدَراري

So may the clouds of the pulpits ever remain, through you,

The clouds of pulpits ne’er ceased from you,

Studded with brilliant stars from your family.

Adorned with the flashing of your meteors.