متى ينال لديكم ما يُؤمّلُهُ

متى ينال لديكم ما يُؤمّلُهُ

مُتيَّمٌ ذو تباريحٍ تُبَلبِلُهُ

مُتيَّمٌ ذو تباريحٍ تُبَلبِلُهُ

When will he gain from you what he hopes for—

When will he attain what he hopes for

a love-enslaved man beset by agonies that bewilder him?

A longing one with anguished heartbeats

ما ظَنَّ مَن قَبِلَ تَعذيبِ الهوى أسَدٌ

ما ظَنَّ مَن قَبِلَ تَعذيبِ الهوى أسَدٌ

أَنَّ التَّدَلُّلَ من رئمٍ يُذَلّلُهُ

أَنَّ التَّدَلُّلَ من رئمٍ يُذَلّلُهُ

No lion, before love's torment, ever imagined

A lion did not expect the torment of passion

that a white gazelle's coquetry would tame him.

That coquetry of a disdainer would subdue him

ولا درى أن سهم الخيف يقصدُهُ

ولا درى أن سهم الخيف يقصدُهُ

حتَّى رَأَى ساحرَ الأَلحاظِ يُرْسِلُهُ

حتَّى رَأَى ساحرَ الأَلحاظِ يُرْسِلُهُ

Nor did he know the odd-eyed gazelles' arrow was aimed at him

Nor did he know the arrow of love was aimed at him

until he saw the enchanter of glances release it.

Until he saw the enchanting eyes unleash it

مُضنىً رَماهُ بِكَربٍ كُلُّ ذي فَرَحٍ

مُضنىً رَماهُ بِكَربٍ كُلُّ ذي فَرَحٍ

كَأَنَّما ناقِلٌ عَنهُ يُنَقِّلُهُ

كَأَنَّما ناقِلٌ عَنهُ يُنَقِّلُهُ

Wasted by love, he was struck with anguish by every joyful soul,

In misery it struck him, every joyous one

as though each were shifting that anguish from himself to him.

As if conveying it from him, transmitting it

فالطبّ يُسْقِمُهُ والماءُ يُعطشُهُ

فالطبّ يُسْقِمُهُ والماءُ يُعطشُهُ

والقربُ يبعدُهُ والصّوْنُ يَبذُلُهُ

والقربُ يبعدُهُ والصّوْنُ يَبذُلُهُ

So medicine sickens him, and water makes him thirsty,

So medicine makes him ill, water makes him thirst

and nearness drives him away, and protection debases him.

And nearness distances him, chastity exposes him