رُبَّ لَيلٍ نُجومُهُ ضاحِكاتٌ

رُبَّ لَيلٍ نُجومُهُ ضاحِكاتٌ

مِثلَ أَحلامِ غادَةٍ في صِباها

مِثلَ أَحلامِ غادَةٍ في صِباها

Many a night, its stars laughing,

Many a night with laughing stars

Many a night whose stars are laughing,

like a beauty's dreams in her youth,

Like the dreams of a maiden in her youth

Like the dreams of a maiden in her youth.

لَمَسَت إِصبَعُ السَكينَةِ أَشوا

لَمَسَت إِصبَعُ السَكينَةِ أَشوا

قي فَهَبَّت مَذعورَةٌ مِن كَراها

قي فَهَبَّت مَذعورَةٌ مِن كَراها

the finger of stillness touched my longings,

The finger of tranquility touched my inner anguish

The finger of tranquility touched my longings,

and they sprang, startled, from their slumber,

So it fled in fright from its abhorrence

So they started up, terrified, from their slumber,

كَتُيورٍ في الأَسرِ تَبغي اِنعِتاقاً

كَتُيورٍ في الأَسرِ تَبغي اِنعِتاقاً

قَبلَ أَن يُفسِدَ الإِسارُ لُغاها

قَبلَ أَن يُفسِدَ الإِسارُ لُغاها

like captive birds seeking freedom,

Like a caged bird seeking liberation

Like birds in captivity seeking liberation,

before captivity ruins their song.

Before captivity could corrupt its warbling

Before imprisonment corrupts their song.

أَبِقَ النَومُ فَاِنطَلَقتُ إِلى انَهرِ

أَبِقَ النَومُ فَاِنطَلَقتُ إِلى انَهرِ

بِنَفسٍ كادَت تَسيلُ دِماها

بِنَفسٍ كادَت تَسيلُ دِماها

Sleep fled, so I set out toward the river,

Sleep evaded me, so I went to the river

Sleep fled, so I set forth toward the river,

with a soul whose blood was about to flow.

With a soul almost pouring out its blood

With a soul that nearly bled away.

وَمَعي صاحِبٌ رَقيقُ الحَواشي

وَمَعي صاحِبٌ رَقيقُ الحَواشي

تَجِدُ النَفسُ في رُؤاهُ رُؤاها

تَجِدُ النَفسُ في رُؤاهُ رُؤاها

And with me was a companion of gentle disposition,

And with me a delicate companion

Beside me, a companion of gentle nature,

in whose visions the soul finds its own.

Whose vision the soul finds in its own vision

In whose visions my own soul finds its reflection.

إِن دَجَت لَيلَةٌ أَراكَ ضُحاها

إِن دَجَت لَيلَةٌ أَراكَ ضُحاها

أَو ذَوَت زَهرَةٌ أَراكَ شَذاها

أَو ذَوَت زَهرَةٌ أَراكَ شَذاها

If a night grew dark, he showed you its morning light,

If a night darkens I see you illuminate it

If a night grows dark, he shows me its morning light;

or if a flower withered, he showed you its fragrance.

Or a flower withers I see you give it fragrance

If a flower withers, he shows me its fragrance.

قالَ ما أَجمَلَ الكَواكِبَ ما

قالَ ما أَجمَلَ الكَواكِبَ ما

أَحلى سَناها فَقُلتُ ما أَحلاها

أَحلى سَناها فَقُلتُ ما أَحلاها

He said, 'How beautiful the stars! How

He said, "How beautiful are the stars, how...

sweet their radiance!' I said, 'How sweet she is!'

He said, “How beautiful are the planets!”

...sweet is their brilliance!" So I replied, "How sweet indeed."

قالَ لا شَوقَ لا صَبابَةَ لَولا

قالَ لا شَوقَ لا صَبابَةَ لَولا

ها فَتَمتَمتُ قائِلاً لَولاها

ها فَتَمتَمتُ قائِلاً لَولاها

He said, 'No yearning, no ardent love, were it not for

I said, “How sweet is their radiance!”

He said, "There would be no longing, no ardor, were it not..."

them.' I murmured, 'Were it not for her.'

He said, “Without longing or infatuation...”

...for them." But I murmured, saying, "Were it not for her."

قالَ هَل تَشتَهي الوُصولَ إِلَيها

قالَ هَل تَشتَهي الوُصولَ إِلَيها

قُلتُ إِنّي لا أَشتَهي إِلّاها

قُلتُ إِنّي لا أَشتَهي إِلّاها

He said, 'Do you long to reach them?'

So I murmured, “Without her...”

He asked, "Do you desire to reach them?"

I said, 'Indeed, I desire only her.'

He said, “Do you wish to reach them?”

I replied, "I desire nothing but her."

كانَ طَرفي يَجولُ في العالَمِ الأَع

كانَ طَرفي يَجولُ في العالَمِ الأَع

لى وَروحي تَجولُ في مَغناها

لى وَروحي تَجولُ في مَغناها

My gaze wandered through the world above,

I said, “I wish nothing but her.”

My gaze was roaming through the celestial realm,

while my soul wandered through her dwelling.

My eyes roamed the lofty universe

While my soul wandered within her abode.

وَجَليسي يَظُنُّ في الشُهبِ قَصدي

وَجَليسي يَظُنُّ في الشُهبِ قَصدي

وَأَنا أَحسَبُ الجَليسَ عَناها

وَأَنا أَحسَبُ الجَليسَ عَناها

My companion thought I meant the bright stars,

And my soul roamed in its melody

My companion thought my intent lay with the stars,

while I thought my companion meant her.

And my companion thought I eyed the stars

While I assumed he was speaking of her.

قالَ وَالنَهرُ كَم طَوى مِن صَبابا

قالَ وَالنَهرُ كَم طَوى مِن صَبابا

تٍ فَأَطرَقتُ أَستَشِفُّ المِياها

تٍ فَأَطرَقتُ أَستَشِفُّ المِياها

He said, 'And the river—how many yearnings it has folded away!'

While I deemed him oblivious of her

He said, "And the river—how many yearnings has it concealed?"

Then I lowered my gaze, peering through the waters.

He said, “How many passions has the river seen flow?”

I bowed my head, gazing deep into the waters.

فَإِذا النَهرُ فيهِ رَعشَةُ روحي

فَإِذا النَهرُ فيهِ رَعشَةُ روحي

حينَ يَدوي فيها صَدى ذِكراها

حينَ يَدوي فيها صَدى ذِكراها

And behold, in the river was my soul's trembling,

I bowed my head to probe its waters

And there in the river was the trembling of my soul,

when the echo of her memory resounds within it.

And there I saw the shiver of my soul

As the echo of her memory resounded within.

قالَ وَاللَيلُ قُلتُ حَسبُكَ إِعنا

قالَ وَاللَيلُ قُلتُ حَسبُكَ إِعنا

تٌ لِنَفسي وَحَسبُ نَفسي دُجاها

تٌ لِنَفسي وَحَسبُ نَفسي دُجاها

He said, 'And the night—' I said, 'Enough torment

Whenever the echo of her mention rippled in it

He began, "And the night..." I interrupted, "Enough torment...

for my soul; my soul's own darkness is enough.'

He said, “The night...” I said, “You have helped

...for my soul; my own inner darkness suffices me."

فَاِنقَطَعنا عَنِ الكَلامِ وَبِتنا

فَاِنقَطَعنا عَنِ الكَلامِ وَبِتنا

كُلُّ نَفسٍ لِذاتِها نَجواها

كُلُّ نَفسٍ لِذاتِها نَجواها

So we ceased speaking and spent the night,

My soul find solace, and my soul sufficed with its darkness.”

So we ceased our speech and spent the night,

each soul keeping its secret converse to itself.

So we fell silent, each soul plunged

Each soul communing secretly with itself.

خِلتُ أَنّي إِذا بَعِدتُ سَأَنسا

خِلتُ أَنّي إِذا بَعِدتُ سَأَنسا

ها وَيَطوي الزَمانُ سِفرَ هَواها

ها وَيَطوي الزَمانُ سِفرَ هَواها

I thought that, if I went far away, I would forget

In its own whispered longings.

I imagined that if I distanced myself, I would forget her,

her, and time would close the book of my love for her.

I felt that when far from her I'd forget her

And that time would close the book of her love;

وَتَوَهَّمتُ أَنَّني سَوفَ أَلقى

وَتَوَهَّمتُ أَنَّني سَوفَ أَلقى

أَلفَ لَيلى وَطَلفَ هِندٍ سِواها

أَلفَ لَيلى وَطَلفَ هِندٍ سِواها

And I imagined I would find

And time would fold away the days of passion.

I deluded myself that I would encounter

a thousand Laylas and [a thousand?] Hinds besides her.

I imagined I would find a thousand Lailas, a thousand Hinds apart from her.

A thousand Laylas and a thousand Hinds beside her.

فَإِذا الحُبُّ كَالفَضاءِ وَقَلبي

فَإِذا الحُبُّ كَالفَضاءِ وَقَلبي

طائِرٌ في الفَضاءِ ضَلَّ وَتاها

طائِرٌ في الفَضاءِ ضَلَّ وَتاها

But behold, love was like the open sky, and my heart

But love is like space, and my heart a bird

But lo, love is like the vast cosmos, and my heart

a bird in the sky, lost and wandering.

Lost in space, astray without her.

Is a bird within that void, lost and wandering.

أَنا في عالَمٍ قَصِيٍّ سَحيقٍ

أَنا في عالَمٍ قَصِيٍّ سَحيقٍ

لا أَراها لَكِنَّ روحي تَراها

لا أَراها لَكِنَّ روحي تَراها

I am in a remote, far-distant world;

I'm in a distant, desolate world--

I exist in a realm remote and abysmal;

I do not see her, yet my soul sees her.

I cannot see her, but my soul sees her.

I do not see her, yet my soul perceives her.

قَد نَشَقتُ الأَزهارَ في كُلِّ أَرضٍ

قَد نَشَقتُ الأَزهارَ في كُلِّ أَرضٍ

ي شَذاهُنَّ لَستَ مِثلَ شَذاها

ي شَذاهُنَّ لَستَ مِثلَ شَذاها

I have breathed in flowers in every land;

I have inhaled the scent of flowers in every land.

I have inhaled the scent of flowers in every land,

[O] fragrance of theirs, you are not like hers.

Their fragrance is not like her fragrance.

Yet their fragrance is nothing like hers.

كَيفَ أَنسى وَأَينَما سِرتُ في الدُن

كَيفَ أَنسى وَأَينَما سِرتُ في الدُن

يا أَراني أَسيرُ في دُنياها

يا أَراني أَسيرُ في دُنياها

How can I forget, when wherever I go in the world,

How to forget, when wherever I wander in the world

How can I forget, when wherever I roam in this world,

I find myself walking in her world?

I find myself a captive in her world?

I find myself walking within her world?

وَإِذا ما لَمَحتُ في الأَرضِ حُسناً

وَإِذا ما لَمَحتُ في الأَرضِ حُسناً

فَكَأَنّي لَمَحتُها إِيّاها

فَكَأَنّي لَمَحتُها إِيّاها

And whenever I glimpse beauty on earth,

And when I glimpse a beauty on earth

If I glimpse beauty anywhere on earth,

it is as though I have glimpsed her—her very self.

It's as if I glimpsed her—her alone.

It is as though I have glimpsed her very self.

وَإِذا داعَبَ النَسيمُ رِدائِيَ

وَإِذا داعَبَ النَسيمُ رِدائِيَ

قُلتُ قَد عَلَّمَتهُ هَذا يَداها

قُلتُ قَد عَلَّمَتهُ هَذا يَداها

And whenever the breeze caresses my robe,

And when the breeze plays with my cloak

And if the breeze plays with my cloak,

I say, 'Her hands have taught it this.'

I say, “She has taught it this gesture of hands.”

I say, "It was her hands that taught it this."

هِيَ أَدنى مِنَ الأَماني إِلى قَل

هِيَ أَدنى مِنَ الأَماني إِلى قَل

بي وَقَلبي يَصيحُ ما أَقصاها

بي وَقَلبي يَصيحُ ما أَقصاها

She is closer to my heart than wishes are,

She is nearer than longing to my heart

She is closer to my heart than my own hopes,

yet my heart cries, 'How far away she is!'

And my heart cries out, “How remote she still is!”

Yet my heart cries out, "How far away she is!"

لَستُ أَشكو النَوى مَلالاً وَلَكِن

لَستُ أَشكو النَوى مَلالاً وَلَكِن

طَرَبُ الروحِ أَن تُذيعَ جَواها

طَرَبُ الروحِ أَن تُذيعَ جَواها

I do not lament separation out of weariness; rather,

I do not complain of the torment of exile

I do not complain of separation out of weariness,

the soul's joy is to reveal its anguish.

But the soul's turmoil at being unable to unburden itself.

But the soul finds rapture in proclaiming its ardor.

قالَ قَومٌ إِنَّ المَحَبَّةَ إِثمٌ

قالَ قَومٌ إِنَّ المَحَبَّةَ إِثمٌ

وَيحَ بَعضِ النُفوسِ ما أَغباها

وَيحَ بَعضِ النُفوسِ ما أَغباها

Some people said that love is a sin.

He said, “Some say love is sin.”

Some claim that love is a sin;

Alas for some souls—how foolish they are!

Pity the souls who are so ignorant!

Woe to such souls—how foolish they are!

إِنَّ نَفساً لَم يُشرِقِ الحُبُّ فيها

إِنَّ نَفساً لَم يُشرِقِ الحُبُّ فيها

هِيَ نَفسٌ لَم تَدرِ ما مَعناها

هِيَ نَفسٌ لَم تَدرِ ما مَعناها

Indeed, a soul in which love has not shone

A soul that love has never illuminated

For a soul in which love has not dawned

is a soul that has not known its own meaning.

Is a soul that knows not what love means.

Is a soul that knows not its own meaning.

خَوَّفوني جَهَنَّماً وَلَظاها

خَوَّفوني جَهَنَّماً وَلَظاها

أَيُّ شَيءٍ جَهَنَّمٌ وَلَظاها

أَيُّ شَيءٍ جَهَنَّمٌ وَلَظاها

They frightened me with Hell and its blaze.

They frightened me with hell and damnation.

They tried to frighten me with Hell and its blaze;

What are Hell and its blaze?

What is hell and damnation?

But what, really, are Hell and its blaze?

لَيسَ عِندَ الإِلَهِ نارٌ لِذي حُبٍّ

لَيسَ عِندَ الإِلَهِ نارٌ لِذي حُبٍّ

وَنارُ الإِنسانِ لا أَخشاها

وَنارُ الإِنسانِ لا أَخشاها

With God there is no fire for one who loves,

For one who loves, God has no fire.

God holds no fire for the one who loves,

and mankind's fire I do not fear.

And the only fire I fear is my own.

And as for the fire of man, I fear it not.

أَنا بِالحُبِّ قَد وَصَلتُ إِلى نَفسي

أَنا بِالحُبِّ قَد وَصَلتُ إِلى نَفسي

وَبِالحُبِّ قَد عَرَفتُ اللَهَ

وَبِالحُبِّ قَد عَرَفتُ اللَهَ

Through love I have reached my own soul,

Through love I have reached myself

Through love, I have arrived at my own self,

and through love I have come to know God.

And through love I have come to know God.

And through love, I have come to know God.