عَلى مَن لا أُسَمّيهِ السَلامُ

عَلى مَن لا أُسَمّيهِ السَلامُ

حَبيبٌ فيهِ قَد ضَجَّ الأَنامُ

حَبيبٌ فيهِ قَد ضَجَّ الأَنامُ

Peace be upon the one I do not name.

Peace be upon the one I do not name

A beloved over whom all humankind has clamored.

A beloved who has enthralled all people

مَليحٌ كُلَّ ما فيهِ مَليحٌ

مَليحٌ كُلَّ ما فيهِ مَليحٌ

مَليحٌ دونَهُ البَدرُ التَمامُ

مَليحٌ دونَهُ البَدرُ التَمامُ

Beautiful—everything about him is beautiful.

Graceful, everything about him graceful

Beautiful—the moon at its fullest falls short of him.

Graceful, the full moon is imperfect beside him

وَلي زَمَنٌ أُكاتِمُهُ هَواهُ

وَلي زَمَنٌ أُكاتِمُهُ هَواهُ

وَقَلبي فيهِ صَبُّ مُستَهامُ

وَقَلبي فيهِ صَبُّ مُستَهامُ

For some time I have hidden my love from him,

I have a time I conceal my passion from him

while my heart is lovesick, crazed with love for him.

And my heart toward him pours ardent love

أُقَبِّلُ كَفَّهُ شَوقاً لَفيهِ

أُقَبِّلُ كَفَّهُ شَوقاً لَفيهِ

إِذا ماصَدَّني عَنهُ اِحتِشامُ

إِذا ماصَدَّني عَنهُ اِحتِشامُ

I kiss his palm, longing for his mouth,

I kiss his hand longing for him

when shyness keeps me from it.

When modesty keeps me from him

وَأَسأَلَهُ وَلَيسَ يُرَدُّ حَرفاً

وَأَسأَلَهُ وَلَيسَ يُرَدُّ حَرفاً

كَأَنَّ جَوابَ مَسأَلَتي حَرامُ

كَأَنَّ جَوابَ مَسأَلَتي حَرامُ

I ask him, but not a word comes back,

And I ask him but he doesn't utter a word

as though an answer to my question were forbidden.

As if answering my question were forbidden

وَيُعرِضُ لا يُكَلِّمُني دَلالاً

وَيُعرِضُ لا يُكَلِّمُني دَلالاً

فَيَغلِبُهُ عَلى ذاكَ اِبتِسامُ

فَيَغلِبُهُ عَلى ذاكَ اِبتِسامُ

He turns away, not speaking to me, out of coyness,

He looks away, not speaking to me coquettishly

yet despite that, a smile overcomes him.

Then his smile defeats that aloofness

كَأَنَّ بِهِ لِفَرطِ التيهِ سُكراً

كَأَنَّ بِهِ لِفَرطِ التيهِ سُكراً

وَقَد لَعِبَت بِعَطفَيهِ المُدامُ

وَقَد لَعِبَت بِعَطفَيهِ المُدامُ

As though he were drunk with excessive pride,

As if drunk from intense bewilderment

and wine had set his flanks swaying.

And wine has toyed with his sweetness

فَيا مَولايَ كَيفَ تُريدُ قَتلي

فَيا مَولايَ كَيفَ تُريدُ قَتلي

وَلي حَقٌّ عَلَيكَ وَلي ذِمامُ

وَلي حَقٌّ عَلَيكَ وَلي ذِمامُ

So, my lord, how can you wish to kill me,

So my master, how can you seek to kill me

when I have a claim upon you and a right to your protection?

When I have a right upon you and a bond?

إِذا ماكُنتَ أَنتَ وَأَنتَ روحي

إِذا ماكُنتَ أَنتَ وَأَنتَ روحي

تَرى تَلَفي فَغَيرُكَ لا يُلامُ

تَرى تَلَفي فَغَيرُكَ لا يُلامُ

If you yourself—though you are my soul—

Since you are my soul as well as myself

would see me perish, no one else can be blamed.

You see I would perish, and none else is to blame

سَأَلتُكَ حاجَةً فَسَكَتَّ عَنها

سَأَلتُكَ حاجَةً فَسَكَتَّ عَنها

وَلي عامٌ أُرَدِّدُها وَعامُ

وَلي عامٌ أُرَدِّدُها وَعامُ

I asked you a favor, and you kept silent about it;

I asked something of you but you were silent about it

and for a year, then another, I have repeated it.

And I have a year I repeat it, and a year

فَرُدَّ لِيَ الجَوابَ بِما تَراهُ

فَرُدَّ لِيَ الجَوابَ بِما تَراهُ

وَكَلِّمني فَما حَرُمَ الكَلامُ

وَكَلِّمني فَما حَرُمَ الكَلامُ

So give me whatever answer you see fit,

So give me the answer with what you see fit

and speak to me, for speech is not forbidden.

And speak to me, for speech is not prohibited

وَها أَنا قَد كَشَفتُ إِلَيكَ سِرّي

وَها أَنا قَد كَشَفتُ إِلَيكَ سِرّي

وَهَذا شَرحُ حالي وَالسَلامُ

وَهَذا شَرحُ حالي وَالسَلامُ

And here I am: I have laid bare my secret to you;

And this explains my state, peace

and this is an account of my state—peace be with you.