بِوادي الجَزعِ لَو عَلِمَ الرَقيبُ

بِوادي الجَزعِ لَو عَلِمَ الرَقيبُ

غَزالٌ مِن مَراتِعِهِ القُلوبُ

غَزالٌ مِن مَراتِعِهِ القُلوبُ

In the valley of al-Jazʿ—if the watcher only knew—

In the valley of sadness, if the watcher knew

is a gazelle whose grazing grounds include hearts.

A gazelle from its heart's pastures

خَلِيُّ البالِ أَهوَنُ ما عَلَيهِ

خَلِيُّ البالِ أَهوَنُ ما عَلَيهِ

حشاشَة مُغرم فيهِ تَذوبُ

حشاشَة مُغرم فيهِ تَذوبُ

Carefree, the least of his concerns

One with a carefree mind is easier for him

is a lover's life-breath melting away for him.

Than an ardent lover melting away

لَهُ أَوفى نَصيبٍ مِن غَرامي

لَهُ أَوفى نَصيبٍ مِن غَرامي

عَلَيهِ وَلَيسَ لي مِنهُ نَصيبُ

عَلَيهِ وَلَيسَ لي مِنهُ نَصيبُ

His is the fullest share of my passion

He has a truer share of my passion

for him; yet I have no share of him.

Than I have of him

أُجيبُ إِلى الرَدى فيهِ وَأَشكو

أُجيبُ إِلى الرَدى فيهِ وَأَشكو

إِلَيهِ ما أَجِنُّ وَلا يُجيبُ

إِلَيهِ ما أَجِنُّ وَلا يُجيبُ

I answer the call to death for his sake, and complain

I complain of torment to him but he does not answer

to him of what I conceal, but he does not answer.

Close yet his connection is distant from me

قَريبٌ وَصلُهُ مِنّي بَعيدٌ

قَريبٌ وَصلُهُ مِنّي بَعيدٌ

وَلَكِن صَدُّهُ مِنّي قَريبُ

وَلَكِن صَدُّهُ مِنّي قَريبُ

He is near, yet union with him is far from me;

But his avoidance of me is close

but his rejection is close to me.

Oh, the most beautiful one I complain to

أَلا يا أَطيبَ ما أَشكو إِلَيهِ

أَلا يا أَطيبَ ما أَشكو إِلَيهِ

مِنَ البَلوى وَقَد غَفلَ الرَقيبُ

مِنَ البَلوى وَقَد غَفلَ الرَقيبُ

Ah, how sweet it is to complain to him

Of afflictions while the watcher is oblivious

of affliction, now that the watcher is heedless!

I ransom you, how can one so lovely fall ill

فَدَيتُكَ كَيفَ تمرضُ صَبٌّ

فَدَيتُكَ كَيفَ تمرضُ صَبٌّ

وَأَنتَ لَهُ مِنَ الدُنيا طَبيبُ

وَأَنتَ لَهُ مِنَ الدُنيا طَبيبُ

May I be your ransom! How can you sicken a lover

When you are the world's healer?

when you are his physician in this world?

I yearn to meet you every day

أَحِنُّ إِلى لِقائِكَ كُلَّ يَومٍ

أَحِنُّ إِلى لِقائِكَ كُلَّ يَومٍ

كَما يَحنو إِلى الوَطَنِ الغَريبُ

كَما يَحنو إِلى الوَطَنِ الغَريبُ

I yearn to meet you every day,

As an exile yearns for his homeland

as a stranger yearns for his homeland.

You are my joy in life, so the day

سُروري أَنتَ في الدنيا فَيَومٌ

سُروري أَنتَ في الدنيا فَيَومٌ

تَغيبُ جَميعُ لذاتي تَغيبُ

تَغيبُ جَميعُ لذاتي تَغيبُ

You are my joy in this world; so on any day

You are absent, all my pleasures disappear

you are absent, all my pleasures vanish.