فكأنني ظمآن ضلَّ بقَفْزةٍ

فكأنني ظمآن ضلَّ بقَفْزةٍ

حتى انتهى يأسا فصَابَ النِّيلا

حتى انتهى يأسا فصَابَ النِّيلا

So it is as though I were a thirsty man who lost his way with a leap,

As if I were a thirsty man who strayed

until he reached despair, then came upon the Nile,

Until in despair he reached the Nile.

من بعد مطْلٍ حتى كاد أن

من بعد مطْلٍ حتى كاد أن

يَضْحى به رَبْعُ الرجاء بخيلا

يَضْحى به رَبْعُ الرجاء بخيلا

after such delay that it almost came to pass

After longing that had almost

that the abode of hope grew miserly through it.

Made a quarter of hope grow stingy,

وكأنّ مولاىَ اقتدى بمقالِ مَن

وكأنّ مولاىَ اقتدى بمقالِ مَن

نَظم القَريضَ وأَغْرَبَ التأويلا

نَظم القَريضَ وأَغْرَبَ التأويلا

And it is as though my lord followed the saying of one

As if my Master followed the words of him

who composed verse and offered an unusual interpretation:

Who composed al-Qarid and gave strange interpretations—

لولا طِرادُ الخيل لم تكُ لذةٌ

لولا طِرادُ الخيل لم تكُ لذةٌ

فتَطارَدِى لي بالوصال قليلاً

فتَطارَدِى لي بالوصال قليلاً

Without the chase of horses, there would be no pleasure;

Had the horses not pursued me, no delight would have

so play chase with me in union for a little while.

Chased me to join me for a little while.