يا قَلبُ وَيحَكَ لم تُرِدْ

يا قَلبُ وَيحَكَ لم تُرِدْ

بِمَوَدَّةِ مَن لا يُريدُك

بِمَوَدَّةِ مَن لا يُريدُك

O heart, alas for you! Why seek

O heart, woe to you, why did you want

The affection of one who does not desire you?

The love of one who does not want you?

يَزهو وَيغرقُ في القلى

يَزهو وَيغرقُ في القلى

وَإِذا مَرِضتَ فَلا يَعودُك

وَإِذا مَرِضتَ فَلا يَعودُك

He struts and drowns in loathing,

He floats and drowns in fantasies

And if you fall ill, he does not visit you.

And when you fall ill, he does not visit you

حَتّى مَتى وَإِلى مَتى

حَتّى مَتى وَإِلى مَتى

غَيُّ الفُؤادِ لَهُ يَقودُك

غَيُّ الفُؤادِ لَهُ يَقودُك

How long, and until when,

How long, until when

Will the heart’s folly lead you to him?

Will the madness of passion mislead you?

أَمسى لِغَيرِكَ جودُه

أَمسى لِغَيرِكَ جودُه

وَلَهُ وَما يَهواكَ جودُك

وَلَهُ وَما يَهواكَ جودُك

His generosity is now for someone other than you,

His generosity has become for others

And yours is for him, though he does not love you.

While for you, your generosity is his

دَعْهُ يَعومُ بِظَنِّهِ

دَعْهُ يَعومُ بِظَنِّهِ

إِذ مَسَّ أَسفَلَهُ عَمودُك

إِذ مَسَّ أَسفَلَهُ عَمودُك

Leave him to swim in his own supposition,

Let him float with his suspicions

Since your shaft has touched his bottom.

Since the pillar of your being has touched his depths

إِن كانَ خافَ فَقَد أَقا

إِن كانَ خافَ فَقَد أَقا

مَ قَضاءَهُ في البَيتِ عودُك

مَ قَضاءَهُ في البَيتِ عودُك

If he was afraid, it has indeed established

If he has feared, he has lived

His fate in the house—your stick.

The fate in your home is your return

أَوقَد عَلَيهِ وَخلِّهِ

أَوقَد عَلَيهِ وَخلِّهِ

فَلَسَوفَ يُحرِقُهُ وَقودُك

فَلَسَوفَ يُحرِقُهُ وَقودُك

Kindle a fire upon him and leave him be;

Kindle a fire upon him, and leave him

Your fuel will surely burn him.

For soon your firewood will burn him

لَولا اليَمينُ هَجَوته

لَولا اليَمينُ هَجَوته

وَأَشاعَ فَضحتَهُ قَصيدُك

وَأَشاعَ فَضحتَهُ قَصيدُك

Were it not for the oath, you would have lampooned him,

If not for my oath, I would have insulted him

And your verse would have spread his disgrace.

And spread his disgrace in my ode