ماذا ترى فيمن أتى يستنجدُ

ماذا ترى فيمن أتى يستنجدُ

وفؤاده ممّا به يتوقدُ

وفؤاده ممّا به يتوقدُ

What do you think of one who came seeking help,

What do you see in one who came seeking help,

While his heart blazes with what afflicts him?

While his heart burns with that which consumes it?

حبِّ تَقسمهُ الغرامُ فجسمُه

حبِّ تَقسمهُ الغرامُ فجسمُه

دنف وأمّا طرفهُ فمنهد

دنف وأمّا طرفهُ فمنهد

A lover whom passion has torn apart—his body

Love divides him, so his body is thin,

Is lovesick, while his gaze is utterly spent.

Yet his gaze is fixed.

عَلِقَ الغرامُ به فأخفى جسمهُ

عَلِقَ الغرامُ به فأخفى جسمهُ

لولاهُ أنّ لما رأتهُ العوّد

لولاهُ أنّ لما رأتهُ العوّد

Passion clung to him and hid his body;

Love has clung to him, so it hid his body,

Had he not groaned, those visiting the sick would not have seen him.

If not for it, the bending boughs would not have seen him.

وهواكَ أشعل دمعه وفؤاده

وهواكَ أشعل دمعه وفؤاده

ذا مطلقٌ أبداً وذاكَ مقيّدٌ

ذا مطلقٌ أبداً وذاكَ مقيّدٌ

And love for you set his tears and heart ablaze:

Your love ignited his tears and his heart,

The former is forever unrestrained, the latter fettered.

One is free forever, the other confined.

كتم الهوى فوشت به أجفانهُ

كتم الهوى فوشت به أجفانهُ

وقد اشتفى مما به من يحسد

وقد اشتفى مما به من يحسد

He concealed his love, but his eyelids betrayed him;

He concealed his love, so it leaked out through his eyelids,

And his envier found satisfaction in his suffering.

And he was cured of those who envied him.

فلأنت بين ذوي الملاحة مفرد

فلأنت بين ذوي الملاحة مفرد

وأنا وحقِّكَ في الصبابةِ مفردُ

وأنا وحقِّكَ في الصبابةِ مفردُ

For you are peerless among the beautiful,

So you are unique among the wise,

And, by your worth, I am peerless in ardent longing.

And I, by your right, am unique among the youth.

أسقمتَهُ ولأنتَ تعرف طبّه

أسقمتَهُ ولأنتَ تعرف طبّه

هلاّ رحمت معذباً يتجلد

هلاّ رحمت معذباً يتجلد

You made him ill, and surely you know his cure.

You made him sick, yet you know not his cure,

Why not pity a tormented man who strives to endure?

Why not show mercy to one who endures patiently?

بالفضل والعدل الزيارة والجفا

بالفضل والعدل الزيارة والجفا

فعلى كلا الحالين فعلُكَ يحمدُ

فعلى كلا الحالين فعلُكَ يحمدُ

Visits come through generosity, and estrangement through justice;

With kindness and justice, visiting and avoiding,

So in either case your action is praised.

In either case, your actions are praised.

فعلى عبيدك يا رشاتهِ ما تشا

فعلى عبيدك يا رشاتهِ ما تشا

وأحكم بما تهوى فأنتَ السيدُ

وأحكم بما تهوى فأنتَ السيدُ

So do whatever you wish to your slaves, O his gazelle,

Do with your servants, O noble one, as you wish,

And decree as you desire, for you are the master.

And judge as you desire, for you are the master.