أَبا الْمَجْدِ كَمْ لَكَ مِنْ طالِبٍ

أَبا الْمَجْدِ كَمْ لَكَ مِنْ طالِبٍ

يَرى بِكَ أَفْضَلَ مَطْلُوبِهِ

يَرى بِكَ أَفْضَلَ مَطْلُوبِهِ

O Abu al-Majd, how many a seeker you have

O Father of Glory, how many seekers

who sees in you the finest thing he seeks!

See in you their utmost desire

سَأَلْتُكَ مِسْكاً وَوَجْدِي بِهِ

سَأَلْتُكَ مِسْكاً وَوَجْدِي بِهِ

كَوَجْدِ الْمُحِبِّ بِمَحْبُوبِهِ

كَوَجْدِ الْمُحِبِّ بِمَحْبُوبِهِ

I asked you for musk, and my longing for it

I asked you for intimacy, and in it

is like a lover's longing for his beloved.

Is the lover's delight with the beloved

وَلَوْ قَدْ ذَكَرْتُكَ فِي مَحْفِلٍ

وَلَوْ قَدْ ذَكَرْتُكَ فِي مَحْفِلٍ

غَنِيتُ بِذِكْرِكَ عَنْ طِيبِهِ

غَنِيتُ بِذِكْرِكَ عَنْ طِيبِهِ

And had I mentioned you at a gathering,

And if I mentioned you in a gathering

mentioning you would have spared me the need for its perfume.

My mention of you suffices over its pleasures

وِذِكْرِي لِمِثْلِكَ نِعْمَ الْبَدِيلُ

وِذِكْرِي لِمِثْلِكَ نِعْمَ الْبَدِيلُ

إِذا ضَنَّ غَيْرُكَ عَنِّي بِهِ

إِذا ضَنَّ غَيْرُكَ عَنِّي بِهِ

And my mention of one like you is an excellent substitute

To mention one like you is the best substitute

when someone other than you withholds it from me.

When others are stingy towards me with it