طارَ نحوَ الحَبيبِ شُحْرورُ قلبي

طارَ نحوَ الحَبيبِ شُحْرورُ قلبي

بِجناحِ الغرامِ والأشْواقِ

بِجناحِ الغرامِ والأشْواقِ

The blackbird of my heart flew toward the beloved,

The blackbird of my heart flew toward the beloved,

on the wing of passion and longing.

On the wing of passion and longings.

وقَليلٌ للحِبِّ في الحُبِّ هذا

وقَليلٌ للحِبِّ في الحُبِّ هذا

لو سَعَيْنا لهُ على الآماقِ

لو سَعَيْنا لهُ على الآماقِ

And even this would be little for the beloved, in love—

And this is little for the beloved in love,

if we journeyed to him upon the very corners of our eyes.

Even if, for him, we walked on the corners of our eyes.

يا رِفاقي بحُبِّهِ عَلِّلوني

يا رِفاقي بحُبِّهِ عَلِّلوني

عَلِّلوني بِحُبِّهِ يا رفاقي

عَلِّلوني بِحُبِّهِ يا رفاقي

O my companions, console me with his love;

O my companions, soothe me with his love;

console me with his love, O my companions.

Soothe me with his love, O my companions.

فَرِّحوني بِذِكرهِ بعدَ حُزْني

فَرِّحوني بِذِكرهِ بعدَ حُزْني

سيرةُ الحِبِّ فَرحةُ المُشتاقِ

سيرةُ الحِبِّ فَرحةُ المُشتاقِ

Cheer me with the mention of him after my sorrow:

Gladden me with remembrance of him after my sorrow;

the tale of love is the yearning lover’s delight.

The beloved’s story is the yearning lover’s joy.

أنا لولاهُ ما سَبَرْتُ نِظامي

أنا لولاهُ ما سَبَرْتُ نِظامي

ورَقَمْتُ السُّطورَ في الأوْراقِ

ورَقَمْتُ السُّطورَ في الأوْراقِ

Without him, I would never have sounded the depths of my verse,

Were it not for him, I would not have fathomed my verse,

nor inscribed its lines upon the pages.

Nor inscribed the lines upon the pages.

لا ولا قُمتُ للكُؤوسِ بِوَجدٍ

لا ولا قُمتُ للكُؤوسِ بِوَجدٍ

وبذُلٍّ قَبَّلتُ كَفَّ السَّاقي

وبذُلٍّ قَبَّلتُ كَفَّ السَّاقي

No, nor would I have risen to the goblets in ecstasy,

No, nor would I have risen for the cups in ecstasy,

and, in my abasement, kissed the cupbearer’s hand.

Or kissed the cupbearer’s palm in abasement.

أنا عبدٌ حَجَرْتُ في الحُبِّ عِتْقي

أنا عبدٌ حَجَرْتُ في الحُبِّ عِتْقي

لو يُنادي عليَّ في الأسواقِ

لو يُنادي عليَّ في الأسواقِ

I am a slave who, in love, has barred his own manumission,

I am a slave; in love I have forbidden my emancipation,

even were I cried for sale in the marketplaces.

Even if bids are called for me in the markets.

قد سُقَيتُ البِطاحَ ماءً زُلالاً

قد سُقَيتُ البِطاحَ ماءً زُلالاً

يَتَوالى من دَمعيَ المِهراقِ

يَتَوالى من دَمعيَ المِهراقِ

I have watered the lowlands with pure, sweet water

I have watered the valley flats with limpid water,

flowing ceaselessly from my outpoured tears.

Flowing continually from my shed tears.

ذاكِروني وذَكِّروني بمنْ همْ

ذاكِروني وذَكِّروني بمنْ همْ

عَلَّموني تَحَمُّلَ الإحْراقِ

عَلَّموني تَحَمُّلَ الإحْراقِ

Speak of them with me, and remind me of those who

Reminisce with me, and remind me of those who

taught me to endure the burning.

Taught me to endure the burning.

واثْبِتوني رِقًّا وإنْ رَقَّ عَظْمي

واثْبِتوني رِقًّا وإنْ رَقَّ عَظْمي

فَحَياتي بِرقَّةِ اسْتِرْقاقي

فَحَياتي بِرقَّةِ اسْتِرْقاقي

Register me in bondage, though my very bones have grown frail;

And keep me in bondage, even if my bones grow thin;

for my life lies in the tenderness of my enslavement.

For my life lies in the tenderness of my enslavement.

وادْفِنوني إن مُتُّ في أرضِ حِبِّي

وادْفِنوني إن مُتُّ في أرضِ حِبِّي

إنَّ فيها مَصارعَ العُشَّاقِ

إنَّ فيها مَصارعَ العُشَّاقِ

And if I die, bury me in my beloved’s land,

And if I die, bury me in my beloved’s land;

for there lie the lovers’ fields of death.

For there are the places where lovers perish.

هي أرضٌ مُذْ لازَموها سُكارى

هي أرضٌ مُذْ لازَموها سُكارى

عَلَّمَتْهُمْ مَكارمَ الأخْلاقِ

عَلَّمَتْهُمْ مَكارمَ الأخْلاقِ

It is a land where, ever since they clung to it, drunk with love,

It is a land that, ever since they dwelt there intoxicated,

it has taught them nobility of character.

Has taught them nobility of character.

يا حُداةَ النِّياقِ والعِشْقُ دينٌ

يا حُداةَ النِّياقِ والعِشْقُ دينٌ

زَمْزِموا الصَّوتَ يا حُداةَ النِياقِ

زَمْزِموا الصَّوتَ يا حُداةَ النِياقِ

O drivers of the she-camels—passionate love is my faith—

O drivers of the she-camels—and love is a faith—

murmur the song, O drivers of the she-camels.

Let your voices hum, O drivers of the she-camels.

قَرِّبونا إلى الحَبيبِ سِراعاً

قَرِّبونا إلى الحَبيبِ سِراعاً

أطْلِقونا من قَيدِ هذا الفِراقِ

أطْلِقونا من قَيدِ هذا الفِراقِ

Bring us swiftly near the beloved;

Bring us swiftly to the beloved;

release us from the fetter of this separation.

Release us from the fetter of this separation.

وخُذوا الرُّوحَ بعدَ ذلك مِنَّا

وخُذوا الرُّوحَ بعدَ ذلك مِنَّا

ليسَ يومُ الفِراقِ يومَ التَّلاقي

ليسَ يومُ الفِراقِ يومَ التَّلاقي

Then, after that, take the soul from us:

And after that, take the soul from us;

the day of parting is no day of reunion.

The day of separation is not the day of meeting.

واقْبَلوا عَهْدَنا حَديثاً قَديماً

واقْبَلوا عَهْدَنا حَديثاً قَديماً

فَحَديثُ الهَوى قَديمٌ باقِ

فَحَديثُ الهَوى قَديمٌ باقِ

And accept our pledge, fresh yet ancient—

And accept our pledge, new yet ancient;

for the tale of love is ancient and enduring.

For the tale of love is ancient and enduring.