كَتَبتُI wrote إِلَيكَto you أَشرَحُI explain فيin كِتابيmy letter
كَتَبتُ إِلَيكَ أَشرَحُ في كِتابي
أُموراًmatters مِنfrom فِراقِكَparting from you أَشتَكيهاI complain of them
أُموراً مِن فِراقِكَ أَشتَكيها
I wrote to you, explaining in my letter
I wrote to you, explaining in my letter
the troubles your absence makes me lament.
The troubles of parting from you that I lament.
وَعَيشِكَby your life إِنَّindeed ليI have مُذsince غِبتَyou went away عَنّيfrom me
وَعَيشِكَ إِنَّ لي مُذ غِبتَ عَنّي
لَحالاًsurely a state ماnot أَظُنُّكَI think you تَرتَضيهاyou would approve of it
لَحالاً ما أَظُنُّكَ تَرتَضيها
By your life, since you have been away from me,
By your life, since you went away from me, I have indeed been
I have endured a plight I cannot think you would approve.
In a state I do not think would please you.
وَفيand in سوقِthe marketplace الغَرامِpassionate love عَرَضتُI offered نَفسيmyself
وَفي سوقِ الغَرامِ عَرَضتُ نَفسي
رَخيصاًcheaply لَمnot أَجِدI found مَنanyone who يَشتَريهاwould buy it
رَخيصاً لَم أَجِد مَن يَشتَريها
In passion’s marketplace I offered up myself
And in love's marketplace I offered myself
at a low price, yet found no one to buy me.
At a low price, but found no one to buy me.
وَلَمand not أَرَI saw مَنanyone who لَهُhe has حالٌa state كَحاليlike my state
وَلَم أَرَ مَن لَهُ حالٌ كَحالي
فَأَعرِفُso I might recognize فيin الصَبابَةِardent longing ليfor me شَبيهاa counterpart
فَأَعرِفُ في الصَبابَةِ لي شَبيها
I found no one whose plight was like my own,
Nor have I seen anyone whose plight is like mine,
that I might know a kindred soul in yearning.
So that I might recognize a fellow in ardent longing.
فَجُدso be generous بِرِضاكَwith your favor إِنَّindeed رِضاكَyour favor عَنّيtoward me
فَجُد بِرِضاكَ إِنَّ رِضاكَ عَنّي
لَأَعظَمُsurely the greatest شَهوَةٍdesire أَناI أَشتَهيهاI desire it
لَأَعظَمُ شَهوَةٍ أَنا أَشتَهيها
So grant me your favor: your being pleased with me
So grant me your favor, for your favor toward me
is the greatest wish for which I yearn.
Is surely the greatest wish I yearn for.
وَليand I have وَعدٌa promise إِلىfor سَنَةٍa year فَإِنand if لَمnot
وَلي وَعدٌ إِلى سَنَةٍ فَإِن لَم
يَكُنit is فيهاin it يَكُنit will be فيماin what يَليهاfollows it
يَكُن فيها يَكُن فيما يَليها
I have a promise for a year hence; and if it does not
And I have a promise for a year hence; and if it is not
come then, it will come in the year that follows.
Fulfilled that year, it will be in the one that follows.
وَقَدand indeed أَنهَيتُI conveyed مِنfrom شَوقيmy longing أُموراًmatters
وَقَد أَنهَيتُ مِن شَوقي أُموراً
لِمَولاناfor our lord عُلوُّsupremacy الرَأيِof judgment فيهاconcerning them
لِمَولانا عُلوُّ الرَأيِ فيها
I have conveyed matters born of my longing
And I have conveyed some matters of my longing,
to our master—his is the highest judgment in them.
On which our lord's judgment is supreme.
