ليI have حَبيبٌa beloved مَنwhoever رَآهُsees him
لي حَبيبٌ مَن رَآهُ
جَنَّgoes mad فيin الحالِthat instant جُنونmadness
جَنَّ في الحالِ جُنون
I have a beloved; whoever sees him
I have a beloved, whoever sees him
Goes stark mad that very instant.
Goes mad instantly with madness
حُبُّهُlove for him زينَةُthe adornment of قَلبيmy heart
حُبُّهُ زينَةُ قَلبي
لَيسَis not مالاًwealth وَبَنونand sons
لَيسَ مالاً وَبَنون
Love for him is my heart's adornment,
His love is the adornment of my heart
Not wealth and sons.
Not money or children
ليتهُwould that he يَرضىwere pleased وَأُسقىand I am made to drink
ليتهُ يَرضى وَأُسقى
فيamid تَجَنّيهِhis cruelty المَنونdeath
في تَجَنّيهِ المَنون
Would that he were pleased, though I be made to drink
I wish he would be pleased and I quench
Death amid his cruelty.
My thirst from his sweet flowing springs
ماwhat لِعُشّاقِwith the lovers of سُلَيميSulayma
ما لِعُشّاقِ سُلَيمي
فيin الهَوىlove لاnot يَعقِلونthey reason
في الهَوى لا يَعقِلون
What ails Sulayma's lovers,
What is with Sulayma's lovers
That they lose all reason in love?
In passion they have no reason
رَقَدَfell asleep العالَمُthe world جَمعاًall together
رَقَدَ العالَمُ جَمعاً
وَهُمُyet they لاdo not يَرقُدونsleep
وَهُمُ لا يَرقُدون
All the world has fallen asleep,
The whole world sleeps
Yet they do not sleep.
While they do not sleep
ماno عَلَيهِمupon them مِنany مَلامٍblame
ما عَلَيهِم مِن مَلامٍ
فيin هَواهاlove for her يَعذُرونthey are excused
في هَواها يَعذُرون
No blame rests upon them;
No blame upon them
They are excused for loving her.
In their love they have excuse
تَرَكواthey abandoned اللَذاتِpleasures لَمّاwhen
تَرَكوا اللَذاتِ لَمّا
عَلِمواthey knew ماwhat يَطلُبونthey seek
عَلِموا ما يَطلُبون
They abandoned pleasures when
They left pleasures when
They knew what they sought.
They knew what they seek
آهalas مِنfor داءٍa sickness بِقَلبيin my heart
آه مِن داءٍ بِقَلبي
ماno لَهُfor it الدَهرُthroughout time سُكونrest
ما لَهُ الدَهرُ سُكون
Alas for a sickness in my heart
Oh what a malady in my heart
That never, through all time, finds rest.
For which time has no tranquility
كُلَّماwhenever اِشتَقتُI yearn إِلَيهاfor her
كُلَّما اِشتَقتُ إِلَيها
فاضَgush forth مِنfrom دَمعيmy tears عُيونsprings
فاضَ مِن دَمعي عُيون
Whenever I yearn for her,
Whenever I long for him
Springs gush forth from my tears.
My eyes overflow with tears
ماnot لَقىexperienced مَجنونُMajnun لَيلىLayla
ما لَقى مَجنونُ لَيلى
بَعضَa part of ماwhat ذُقتُI tasted جُنونmadness
بَعضَ ما ذُقتُ جُنون
Layla's Majnun never knew
Majnoun did not meet Layla’s
A fraction of the madness I have tasted.
Madness as I did
عَشِقَfell in love الناسُpeople وَلَكِنbut
عَشِقَ الناسُ وَلَكِن
مِثلlike عِشقيmy love لاnot يَكونexists
مِثل عِشقي لا يَكون
People have loved, but
People fell in love but
There is no love like mine.
None like my love can be
سادَتيmy lords أَنwhether تَصِلونيyou grant me union
سادَتي أَن تَصِلوني
رَحمَةًout of mercy أَوor تَهجُرونyou forsake me
رَحمَةً أَو تَهجُرون
My lords, whether you grant me union
My masters, will you join me
Out of mercy, or forsake me,
In mercy or abandon me
لَيسَthere is no ليfor me عَنكُمin your stead بِديلٌsubstitute
لَيسَ لي عَنكُم بِديلٌ
أَبَداًever لَوif تَعلمونyou knew
أَبَداً لَو تَعلمون
I have no substitute for you,
I have for you no substitute
Ever, if you but knew.
Ever, if you did but know
كَلَفيmy passion فيكُمfor you قَديماًlong ago
كَلَفي فيكُم قَديماً
مِنfor زَمانٍa long time تَعهَدونyou have known
مِن زَمانٍ تَعهَدون
My long-standing passion for you
I was devoted to you for ages
You have known for ages.
From a time you covenanted