نَسيمُكُمُ وَهوَ العَليلُ المُعَلِّلُ

نَسيمُكُمُ وَهوَ العَليلُ المُعَلِّلُ

يَهيجُ الهَوى وَهوَ المُدِلُّ المُدَلَّلُ

يَهيجُ الهَوى وَهوَ المُدِلُّ المُدَلَّلُ

Your breeze, ailing yet consoling,

Your breeze, though frail, arouses passions deep,

stirs passion, itself coquettish and pampered.

And stirs the heart to love—a graceful sweep!

وَلَو أَنصَفوا عِندَ اِنقِطاعِ هُبوبِهِ

وَلَو أَنصَفوا عِندَ اِنقِطاعِ هُبوبِهِ

لَكانَ بِأَنفاسِ الأَحِبَّةِ يوصَلُ

لَكانَ بِأَنفاسِ الأَحِبَّةِ يوصَلُ

And if they were fair when its blowing ceased,

If but they paused when that soft wind subsides,

it would be sustained by the breaths of loved ones.

Twould whisper secrets from beloved sides.

لَطيفُ سِرارِ السترِ حَتّى كَأَنَّهُ

لَطيفُ سِرارِ السترِ حَتّى كَأَنَّهُ

لِأَسرارِ أَغصانِ النَقا يَتَحَيَّلُ

لِأَسرارِ أَغصانِ النَقا يَتَحَيَّلُ

So subtle is its veiled whispering that it seems

So gently steals it in, none would suspect

to be scheming to learn the secrets of the dune's boughs.

That in those branches it plays to detect

يُمَدُّ لَهُ شَأوٌ طَويلٌ وَخَلفَهُ

يُمَدُّ لَهُ شَأوٌ طَويلٌ وَخَلفَهُ

لِأَنفاسِنا شَأوٌ أَمَدُّ وَأَطوَلُ

لِأَنفاسِنا شَأوٌ أَمَدُّ وَأَطوَلُ

A long course stretches before it, and behind it

Secrets held there. Extended is its reach;

our breaths have a course farther-reaching and longer still.

Far longer than our breath its winding breach

تُرى يا نَسيمَ الريحِ لا عَن جَهالَةٍ

تُرى يا نَسيمَ الريحِ لا عَن جَهالَةٍ

أَأَنتَ أَمِ الصَبُّ المُعَنَّى المُوَكَّلُ

أَأَنتَ أَمِ الصَبُّ المُعَنَّى المُوَكَّلُ

I wonder, O breeze of the wind—not out of ignorance—

Breeze of the wind! Is it in innocence—

is it you, or the tormented, enthralled lover?

Or are you the dispatch assigned from thence?

يَقولونَ كَالريحِ الجَوادُ فَما لَها

يَقولونَ كَالريحِ الجَوادُ فَما لَها

عَلَينا بِإِبلاغِ التَحِيّاتِ تَبخَلُ

عَلَينا بِإِبلاغِ التَحِيّاتِ تَبخَلُ

They say, 'The generous one is like the wind'; why, then,

“Like the free wind!” they say. Why then withhold

does it begrudge us the delivery of greetings?

Our tender greetings that you could have told?

بِها ما بِنا مِن غُلَّةٍ غَيرَ أَنَّها

بِها ما بِنا مِن غُلَّةٍ غَيرَ أَنَّها

تُوَرِّي عَنِ الأَسرارِ أَو تَتَجَمَّلِ

تُوَرِّي عَنِ الأَسرارِ أَو تَتَجَمَّلِ

It has the same burning thirst as we do, except that it

What have we gained from you save that you bare

veils its secrets, or puts on a brave face.

Secrets, or come scented from some one fair?