ما استأْنفَ القلبُ من أَشواقه أَرَبا

ما استأْنفَ القلبُ من أَشواقه أَرَبا

إِلاّ استفزَّتْه آياتُ الهوى طَرَبا

إِلاّ استفزَّتْه آياتُ الهوى طَرَبا

Never does the heart renew a desire born of its longings

My heart has not resumed its passions,

without love's signs stirring it to rapture.

Except the signs of love provoked it to confusion.

لله نِسبةُ أَنفاسي إِلى حُرَقي

لله نِسبةُ أَنفاسي إِلى حُرَقي

إِذا النسيم إِلي رَيّا الحِمى انتسبا

إِذا النسيم إِلي رَيّا الحِمى انتسبا

How wondrous, by God, my breaths' kinship with my burning pangs,

The ascription of my breaths to my passion,

when the breeze claims kinship with the protected pasture's fragrance.

Is to God, when the breeze blew the fever towards me.

أهكذا لم يكن في الناس ذو شَجَن

أهكذا لم يكن في الناس ذو شَجَن

إِلاّ صَبا كلّما هبَّتْ عليه صَبا

إِلاّ صَبا كلّما هبَّتْ عليه صَبا

Is it thus: no sorrowing soul among people

Is this how it was, that no one was passionate,

but yearns whenever the east wind blows upon him?

Except they endured whenever the calamities blew upon them.

ما أَعجبَ الحبَّ يُدْعى بأْسُه غَزَلاً

ما أَعجبَ الحبَّ يُدْعى بأْسُه غَزَلاً

جَهْلاً به ويُسَمَّى جِدُّه لَعِبا

جَهْلاً به ويُسَمَّى جِدُّه لَعِبا

How strange love is! Its torment is called flirtation,

How strange is love, its harm is called flirting,

in ignorance of it, and its earnestness is called play.

Ignorantly, and its seriousness is named playing.

ويْحَ الحَمام أَما تجتاز بارقةٌ

ويْحَ الحَمام أَما تجتاز بارقةٌ

إِلاّ بكا في مغاني الدار وانتحبا

إِلاّ بكا في مغاني الدار وانتحبا

Alas for the dove! Does any lightning flash pass

Alas for the doves - does a lightning bolt not pass

without its weeping and sobbing amid the dwelling's haunts?

Except they cry in the song of the house, and whimper?

كأَنه واجدٌ وَجْدي بجيرتها

كأَنه واجدٌ وَجْدي بجيرتها

فكلّما خطرت في قلبه وَجَبا

فكلّما خطرت في قلبه وَجَبا

As though it feels my longing for the dwelling's neighbors,

It is as if it found my passion in its neighborhood,

so whenever the dwelling crosses its heart, it throbs.

So whenever she came to mind, it moaned.

فموضعُ السِرّ مني يستضيء سَناً

فموضعُ السِرّ مني يستضيء سَناً

ومنبع الماءِ منه يَلْتظي لَهَبا

ومنبع الماءِ منه يَلْتظي لَهَبا

So the seat of the secret within me shines with radiance,

So the place of my secret in me lights up the radiance,

and the wellspring of water within it blazes with flame.

And the spring of water from it brings forth flames.

أَحبابَنا عاد عيدُ الهمّ بعدَكُمُ

أَحبابَنا عاد عيدُ الهمّ بعدَكُمُ

تباعدتْ دارُكم في الحبّ واقتربا

تباعدتْ دارُكم في الحبّ واقتربا

Our beloved ones, grief's festival has returned since you left;

Our loved ones - after you - the feast of worries returned,

your dwelling has grown distant in love, while grief has drawn near.

Your homes in love grew distant and drew near.

ما بال سَلوةِ بالي لا تسرُّكُمُ

ما بال سَلوةِ بالي لا تسرُّكُمُ

حتّى كأَنّ لكم في راحتي تعبا

حتّى كأَنّ لكم في راحتي تعبا

Why does my mind's solace not please you,

What is wrong with my night conversation that does not cheer you,

so that it seems you find weariness in my repose?

As if you find rest from me burdensome?

ما خانكم جَلَدي إِلاّ وفى لكُمُ

ما خانكم جَلَدي إِلاّ وفى لكُمُ

قلبٌ متى سُمْتُه ترك الغرام أَبى

قلبٌ متى سُمْتُه ترك الغرام أَبى

Whenever my fortitude betrayed you, there remained faithful to you

My skin did not betray you except to be loyal to you,

a heart that refused whenever I bade it forsake passionate love.

A heart - when I named it - refused to abandon passion.

عَلاقَةٌ غلبتْ صبري فلا عَجبٌ

عَلاقَةٌ غلبتْ صبري فلا عَجبٌ

إِن الصّبابة خصمٌ طالما غلبا

إِن الصّبابة خصمٌ طالما غلبا

An attachment has overcome my patience—so no wonder:

A connection that overcame my patience - so no wonder -

indeed, ardent longing is a foe that has often prevailed.

Youth has for long overcome an opponent.