نَعِمنَ بِنَفسي وَأَشقَينَني

نَعِمنَ بِنَفسي وَأَشقَينَني

فَيا لَيتَهُنَّ وَيا لَيتَني

فَيا لَيتَهُنَّ وَيا لَيتَني

They lived in bliss within my soul and made me wretched.

My soul did me good, yet tormented me,

So, oh, if only they... and oh, if only I...

Oh, if only they and if only I!

خِلالٌ نَزَلنَ بِخِصبِ النُفوسِ

خِلالٌ نَزَلنَ بِخِصبِ النُفوسِ

فَرَوَّينَهُنَّ وَأَظمَأنَني

فَرَوَّينَهُنَّ وَأَظمَأنَني

Virtues that settled in the fertile ground of souls,

Delights descended upon fertile souls,

So they quenched their thirst and left me thirsty.

They watered them, yet left me thirsty.

تَعَوَّدنَ مِنّي إِباءَ الكَريمِ

تَعَوَّدنَ مِنّي إِباءَ الكَريمِ

وَصَبرَ الحَليمِ وَتيهَ الغَني

وَصَبرَ الحَليمِ وَتيهَ الغَني

They grew used to a noble man's proud defiance in me,

They grew accustomed to my noble resolve,

And a forbearing man's patience, and a rich man's haughtiness.

My patience, my bewildered affluence.

وَعَوَّدتُهُنَّ نِزالَ الخُطوبِ

وَعَوَّدتُهُنَّ نِزالَ الخُطوبِ

فَما يَنثَنينَ وَما أَنثَني

فَما يَنثَنينَ وَما أَنثَني

And I accustomed them to battling calamities,

I accustomed them to enduring tribulations,

So they do not bend, nor do I.

So they would not bend, nor would I bend.

إِذا ما لَهَوتُ بِلَيلِ الشَبابِ

إِذا ما لَهَوتُ بِلَيلِ الشَبابِ

أَهَبنَ بِعَزمي فَنَبَّهنَني

أَهَبنَ بِعَزمي فَنَبَّهنَني

Whenever I reveled in the night of youth,

When I toyed in the night of youth,

They called upon my resolve and roused me.

They checked my resolve and awoke me.

فَما زِلتُ أَمرَحُ في قَدِّهِنَّ

فَما زِلتُ أَمرَحُ في قَدِّهِنَّ

وَيَمرَحنَ مِنّي بِرَوضٍ جَني

وَيَمرَحنَ مِنّي بِرَوضٍ جَني

So I kept frolicking in their fetters,

I kept frolicking with them,

And they frolicked in a fruit-laden garden within me,

And they frolicked with me in a blooming meadow,

إِلى أَن تَوَلّى زَمانُ الشَبابِ

إِلى أَن تَوَلّى زَمانُ الشَبابِ

وَأَوشَكَ عودِيَ أَن يَنحَني

وَأَوشَكَ عودِيَ أَن يَنحَني

Until the days of youth had passed,

Until the time of youth turned away

And my stem was about to bend.

And my return was about to bend.

فَيا نَفسُ إِن كُنتِ لا توقِنينَ

فَيا نَفسُ إِن كُنتِ لا توقِنينَ

بِمَعقودِ أَمرِكِ فَاِستَيقِني

بِمَعقودِ أَمرِكِ فَاِستَيقِني

So, O soul, if you are not certain

So my soul, if you are not certain

Of your settled fate, then be certain:

Of your purpose, be certain!

فَهَذي الفَضيلَةُ سِجنُ النُفوسِ

فَهَذي الفَضيلَةُ سِجنُ النُفوسِ

وَأَنتِ الجَديرَةُ أَن تُسجَني

وَأَنتِ الجَديرَةُ أَن تُسجَني

For this virtue is the prison of souls,

For this is the prison of souls

And you deserve to be imprisoned.

And you deserve to be imprisoned.

فَلا تَسأَليني مَتى تَنقَضي

فَلا تَسأَليني مَتى تَنقَضي

لَيالي الإِسارِ وَلا تَحزَني

لَيالي الإِسارِ وَلا تَحزَني

So do not ask me when they will end—

Do not ask me when will end

The nights of captivity—and do not grieve.

The nights of captivity, and do not grieve me.