صَدَقَ الواشونَ فيما زَعَموا

صَدَقَ الواشونَ فيما زَعَموا

أَنا مُغرىً بِهَواها مُغرَمُ

أَنا مُغرىً بِهَواها مُغرَمُ

The tale-bearers spoke truly in what they claimed:

The tale-bearers spoke the truth in what they claimed.

I am infatuated with her love, deeply enamored.

I am enthralled by love for her, enamored.

فَليَقُل ما شاءَ عَنّي لائِمي

فَليَقُل ما شاءَ عَنّي لائِمي

أَنا أَهواها وَلا أَحتَشِمُ

أَنا أَهواها وَلا أَحتَشِمُ

So let my reproacher say of me whatever he wishes;

So let my reproacher say whatever he wishes about me.

I love her, and I feel no shame.

I love her and feel no shame.

غَلَبَ الوَجدُ فَلا أَكتُمُهُ

غَلَبَ الوَجدُ فَلا أَكتُمُهُ

إِنَّما أَكتُمُ ما يَنكَتِمُ

إِنَّما أَكتُمُ ما يَنكَتِمُ

Passion has overcome me, so I do not conceal it;

Longing has prevailed, so I do not conceal it.

I hide only what can remain hidden.

I conceal only what can be concealed.

تَعِبَ العُذّالُ بي في حُبِّها

تَعِبَ العُذّالُ بي في حُبِّها

قُضِيَ الأَمرُ وَجَفَّ القَلَمُ

قُضِيَ الأَمرُ وَجَفَّ القَلَمُ

The reproachers have wearied themselves over my love for her;

The reproachers have wearied over my love for her.

The matter is decreed, and the pen is dry.

The matter is settled, and the pen has dried.

أَينَ مَن يَرحَمُني أَشكو لَهُ

أَينَ مَن يَرحَمُني أَشكو لَهُ

إِنَّما الشَكوى إِلى مَن يَرحَمُ

إِنَّما الشَكوى إِلى مَن يَرحَمُ

Where is one who will pity me, that I may complain to him?

Where is someone who will pity me, to whom I may complain?

Complaint is made only to one who shows mercy.

One complains only to someone who shows mercy.

أَنا مِن قَلبِيَ مِنها آيِسٌ

أَنا مِن قَلبِيَ مِنها آيِسٌ

لَم يَكُن مِن مُقلَتَيها يَسلَمُ

لَم يَكُن مِن مُقلَتَيها يَسلَمُ

Because of her, I despair of saving my heart;

I have lost hope for my heart because of her;

No one has ever escaped safely from her two eyes.

It could not escape her two eyes unharmed.

أَيُّها السائِلُ عَن وَجدي بِها

أَيُّها السائِلُ عَن وَجدي بِها

إِنَّهُ أَعظَمُ مِمّا تَزعُمُ

إِنَّهُ أَعظَمُ مِمّا تَزعُمُ

O you who ask about my ardent longing for her,

O you who ask about my longing for her,

It is far greater than you suppose.

Indeed, it is greater than you suppose.

ظُنَّ خَيراً بَينَنا أَو غَيرَهُ

ظُنَّ خَيراً بَينَنا أَو غَيرَهُ

فَحَبيبي فيهِ تَحلو التُهَمُ

فَحَبيبي فيهِ تَحلو التُهَمُ

Suppose good of what lies between us—or otherwise;

Think well of what is between us, or otherwise;

Where my beloved is concerned, even accusations grow sweet.

For accusations about my beloved are sweet.

وَلَقَد حَدَّثتُ مَن يَسأَلُني

وَلَقَد حَدَّثتُ مَن يَسأَلُني

وَحَديثي لَكَ يا مَن يَفهَمُ

وَحَديثي لَكَ يا مَن يَفهَمُ

Indeed, I have told whoever asks me,

And indeed, I have spoken to whoever asks me;

And my tale is for you, O one who understands.

And my tale is for you, O you who understand.

طالَ ما أَلقاهُ مِن شَرحِ الهَوى

طالَ ما أَلقاهُ مِن شَرحِ الهَوى

أَنتَ يا رَبّي بِحالي أَعلَمُ

أَنتَ يا رَبّي بِحالي أَعلَمُ

Long have I suffered from having to explain love;

Long has been what I endure in explaining love;

You, O my Lord, know my condition best.

You, O my Lord, know my condition best.

عَشِقَ الناسُ وَمِثلي لَم يَكُن

عَشِقَ الناسُ وَمِثلي لَم يَكُن

فَاِعلَموا أَنِّيَ فيهِم عَلَمُ

فَاِعلَموا أَنِّيَ فيهِم عَلَمُ

People have loved, but there has never been one like me;

People have loved, but there has been no one like me;

So know that among them I am the exemplar.

So know that I am a banner among them.

سُطِّرَت قَبلي أَحاديثُ الهَوى

سُطِّرَت قَبلي أَحاديثُ الهَوى

وَبِمِسكٍ مِن حَديثي تُختَمُ

وَبِمِسكٍ مِن حَديثي تُختَمُ

Tales of love were inscribed before my time,

Tales of love were inscribed before me,

And with musk from my tale they are sealed.

And with musk from my tale they are sealed.