1. صِل قاصِداً قَد أَمَّ لك

    إِذ لَم تَجِد فَتى حُر

    Grant union to a seeker who has come to you,

    Since you have found no noble young man.

  2. فَأَنتَ عِقدٌ مُثمَنُ

    لَم تَفتَقِر لواسطة

    For you are a precious necklace,

    With no need of a central jewel.

  3. وَأَنتَ شكل حسنُ

    وَالجودُ فيك ضابطة

    And you are a beautiful form,

    And generosity is your governing rule.

  4. فَلا تَقُل يا مُحسِنُ

    هَذا الثنا مغالطة

    So do not say, O benefactor,

    'This praise is sophistry.'

  5. فالوَصف لَن يمثلك

    لكل صَبّ يَشعُر

    For description will not portray you

    To every lovesick soul who feels.

  6. بِالطَيف قَد وَعَدتَني

    كَيفَ وَطَرفي ما هَجَع

    You promised me a dream-phantom.

    How, when my eye has not slept?

  7. وَسارَ مُذ فارَقتَني

    وَراكَ قَلبي فاِنقطَع

    And since you left me, it journeyed—

    My heart, behind you—until it could go no farther.

  8. فاِرحَمهُ فَهوَ قَد فَني

    واِنظُر له فيما صَنَع

    So have mercy on it, for it has wasted away.

    And look kindly upon it for what it has done.

  9. فَإِنَّه فيك هلَك

    وَمَسَّهُ منك الضُر

    For indeed it has perished for love of you,

    And harm from you has touched it.

  10. جُنِنتُ مِن يَوم النوى

    فاِرحَم سلمتَ مَصرَعي

    I went mad from the day of separation;

    So pity my downfall—may you be safe.

  11. وَبانَ مَكتومُ الهَوى

    مذ بَلَّ جَيبي مَدمَعي

    And my concealed love was revealed

    Since my tears soaked the bosom of my robe.

  12. وَلَيسَ لي عَيشٌ سِوى

    إِن مَرَّ مَحبوبي مَعي

    And I have no life except

    If my beloved passes along with me.

  13. يا قَمَري قَلبي فَلَك

    سِر فيهِ فَهوَ قَد سُر

    O my moon, my heart is a celestial sphere.

    Move within it, for it has been gladdened.

  14. واِطوِ مَسافَة السفر

    يا بَدرُ أَنعِم بِاللقا

    And fold up the distance of the journey.

    O full moon, favor me with a meeting.

  15. وَاِعدِل إِلي يا قَمَر

    وَفيَّ إِنّي في شقا

    And turn toward me, O moon,

    And within me—indeed, I am in misery.

  16. وَقُلتُ لما أَن خطَر

    بِاللَه يا غُصنَ النَقا

    And I said, when he passed,

    'By God, O bough of the sand dune,

  17. سُبحان رَبٍّ عَدَّلَك

    قِف لي قَليلاً اِنظُر

    Glory to the Lord who fashioned you in due proportion!

    Pause a little for me; look.'

  18. وَشادنٍ من الخَطا

    يَقتلُني بِالعَمدِ

    And a young gazelle from Khata

    Kills me deliberately.

  19. زارَ فقلت إِذ سَطا

    بِصارِم كالهندي

    He visited, and I said when he attacked

    With a sharp blade like an Indian sword:

  20. واصِل وَكُن مشترطاً

    ما شئت فَهوَ عِندي

    'Grant me union, and stipulate

    Whatever you wish, for I have it.'

  21. قالَ هات ذَهَب وَدورُ لَك

    فَقُلتُ لَو تَخشى در

    He said, 'Bring gold, and houses are yours.'

    Then I said, 'If you fear, turn' [wording uncertain].