يُزَهِّدُني في حُبِّ عَبدَةَ مَعشَرٌ

يُزَهِّدُني في حُبِّ عَبدَةَ مَعشَرٌ

قُلوبُهُمُ فيها مُخالِفَةٌ قَلبي

قُلوبُهُمُ فيها مُخالِفَةٌ قَلبي

A band of men makes me turn from loving ʿAbda,

Some people discourage me from loving ʿAbdah,

their hearts, where she is concerned, at variance with mine.

Their hearts, concerning her, are at odds with mine.

فَقُلتُ دَعوا قَلبي بِما اِختارَ وَاِرتَضى

فَقُلتُ دَعوا قَلبي بِما اِختارَ وَاِرتَضى

فَبِالقَلبِ لا بِالعَينِ يُبصِرُ ذو اللُبِّ

فَبِالقَلبِ لا بِالعَينِ يُبصِرُ ذو اللُبِّ

So I said: Leave my heart with what it has chosen and approved;

So I said: Leave my heart to what it has chosen and accepted;

for the discerning person sees with the heart, not with the eye.

For one of understanding sees with the heart, not the eye.

وَما تُبصِرُ العَينانِ في مَوضِعِ الهَوى

وَما تُبصِرُ العَينانِ في مَوضِعِ الهَوى

وَلا تَسمَعُ الأُذنانِ إِلّا مِنَ القَلبِ

وَلا تَسمَعُ الأُذنانِ إِلّا مِنَ القَلبِ

The two eyes do not see in the realm of passion,

And in the realm of love, the eyes do not see,

nor do the two ears hear except from the heart.

Nor do the ears hear, except through the heart.

وَما الحُسنُ إِلّا كُلُّ حُسنٍ دَعا الصِبا

وَما الحُسنُ إِلّا كُلُّ حُسنٍ دَعا الصِبا

وَأَلَّفَ بَينَ العِشقِ وَالعاشِقِ الصَبِّ

وَأَلَّفَ بَينَ العِشقِ وَالعاشِقِ الصَبِّ

Beauty is simply every loveliness that awakens youthful ardor

And beauty is nothing but beauty that calls forth youthful ardor

and unites passionate love with the lovesick lover.

And unites passionate love with the love-stricken lover.