لَولاwere it not for الحَياءُmodesty مِنَbefore الرَقيبِthe watcher الراصِدِthe vigilant one
لَولا الحَياءُ مِنَ الرَقيبِ الراصِدِ
لَجَعَلتI would have made قَصدَكَseeking you مِنamong أَجلِّthe noblest مَقاصِديmy aims
لَجَعَلت قَصدَكَ مِن أَجلِّ مَقاصِدي
Were it not for modesty before the vigilant watcher,
Were it not for shame of the watcher lying in wait
I would have made seeking you one of my noblest aims.
I would have made reaching you my greatest purpose
ياO مَنyou who تَسَلَّمَtook possession of مُهجَتيmy lifeblood نَقداًas ready cash بِلاwithout
يا مَن تَسَلَّمَ مُهجَتي نَقداً بِلا
ثَمَنٍa price وَسَوَّفَand postponed بِاللقاءِfor a meeting مَواعِديmy promised appointments
ثَمَنٍ وَسَوَّفَ بِاللقاءِ مَواعِدي
O you who took my lifeblood as ready cash, without
O you who took my heart freely with no
A price, and deferred the meetings promised me.
Price and postponed our promised meeting
عَيناكَyour two eyes تَقتُلُنيkill me وَلَستَand you are not بِراحِميmerciful to me
عَيناكَ تَقتُلُني وَلَستَ بِراحِمي
وَهَواكَand love of you يُمرِضُنيmakes me ill وَلَستَand you are not بِعائِديvisiting me
وَهَواكَ يُمرِضُني وَلَستَ بِعائِدي
Your eyes kill me, yet you show me no mercy;
Your eyes kill me yet show no mercy
And love of you sickens me, yet you do not visit me.
Your love makes me ill yet you do not heal me
نَفسِيmy soul فِداكَa ransom for you أَماhas not بَداappeared لَكَto you بَعَضُsome of ماwhat
نَفسِي فِداكَ أَما بَدا لَكَ بَعَضُ ما
أُخفِيI conceal وَقَدthough already كَثُرَتhave multiplied عَليَّagainst me شَواهِديmy telltale signs
أُخفِي وَقَد كَثُرَت عَليَّ شَواهِدي
My soul be your ransom—has not some of what appeared to you
My soul is yours, has not some of what
I conceal, though the proofs against me have multiplied?
I conceal appeared, though proofs against me abound?
حَلَّيتُI adorned نَفسِيmyself فيكَfor your sake حِليَةَwith an ornament شُهرَةٍof renown
حَلَّيتُ نَفسِي فيكَ حِليَةَ شُهرَةٍ
شَهِدَتbore witness بِإِخلاصيto my devotion وَصِدقِand the sincerity of عَقائِديmy convictions
شَهِدَت بِإِخلاصي وَصِدقِ عَقائِدي
I adorned myself for your sake with a conspicuous ornament
I adorned myself for you like a famed necklace
That attested my devotion and the sincerity of my convictions.
That testifies to my sincerity and true beliefs
السُقمُsickness حَلييmy jewelry وَالصَبابَةُand ardent longing حُلّتِيmy robe
السُقمُ حَليي وَالصَبابَةُ حُلّتِي
وَالعِشقُand passionate love تاجيmy crown وَالدُمُوعُand tears قَلائِديmy necklaces
وَالعِشقُ تاجي وَالدُمُوعُ قَلائِدي
Sickness is my jewelry, and ardent longing my robe;
Sickness is my anklet, youth my gown
Love is my crown, and tears my necklaces.
Love my crown, tears my necklaces
ياO غُصنَbough بانٍof the ban tree فيin اِنثِناءٍbending دائِمٍconstant
يا غُصنَ بانٍ في اِنثِناءٍ دائِمٍ
وَهِلالَand crescent تمٍّof perfection فيin اِكتِمالٍfullness زائِدِincreasing
وَهِلالَ تمٍّ في اِكتِمالٍ زائِدِ
O bough of the ban tree, forever bending,
O branch forever bending, crescent
And perfect crescent, ever increasing in fullness,
Ever fuller, gazelle of mankind—ensnared by love
وَغَزالَand gazelle إِنسٍof humankind ماnot تَأَنَّسَgrew tame بِالهَوىwith love
وَغَزالَ إِنسٍ ما تَأَنَّسَ بِالهَوى
صادَhunted القُلوبَhearts وَمالَهُand he has no مِنany صائِدِhunter
صادَ القُلوبَ وَمالَهُ مِن صائِدِ
And gazelle in human form, untamed by love,
You trap hearts, yours for the taking
He has hunted hearts, yet has no hunter.
When you appear from behind the veil of estrangement
فَإِذاand when تَجَلّىhe emerged مِنfrom حِجابِthe veil of نِفارِهِhis skittishness
فَإِذا تَجَلّى مِن حِجابِ نِفارِهِ
حَجَبَتهُconcealed him أَنوارُthe lights of الشُعاعِthe radiance الصاعِدِrising
حَجَبَتهُ أَنوارُ الشُعاعِ الصاعِدِ
And when he emerged from the veil of his skittishness,
Your splendor veils you like ascending rays
Rising rays of light concealed him.
You come into view yet cannot be glimpsed
وَبَداand he appeared فَلَمbut did not يُمكِنgrant access سَناهُhis radiance لِناظِرٍto a beholder
وَبَدا فَلَم يُمكِن سَناهُ لِناظِرٍ
وَمَشىand he walked فَأَمكَنand made accessible خَصرَهُhis waist لِلعاقِدِto the knot-tier
وَمَشى فَأَمكَن خَصرَهُ لِلعاقِدِ
He appeared, yet his radiance was beyond a beholder's gaze;
You walk yet your waist cannot be encircled
And he walked, yielding his waist to one who would bind it.
O vision of beauty—wondrous miracles
ياO مَنظَراًa vision لِلحُسنِof beauty فيهِin which بَدائِعُmarvels
يا مَنظَراً لِلحُسنِ فيهِ بَدائِعُ
شَهِدَتbore witness بِإِبداعِto the artistry of القَديرِthe Almighty الواحِدِthe One
شَهِدَت بِإِبداعِ القَديرِ الواحِدِ
O vision in which beauty has marvels
Testify to the creation of the One, the Singular
That attest the artistry of the Almighty, the One.
The fluttering of his cheek is like a melting teardrop
رَقراقُthe shimmer of وَجنَتِهِhis cheek كَدَمعٍlike a tear ذائِبٍliquid
رَقراقُ وَجنَتِهِ كَدَمعٍ ذائِبٍ
وَنِظامُand the ordered row of مَبسَمِهِhis smiling mouth كَنَظمٍlike a string of pearls جامِدِsolid
وَنِظامُ مَبسَمِهِ كَنَظمٍ جامِدِ
His cheek's shimmer is like a liquid tear,
The arrangement of his smile like solid prose
And his smiling teeth are arrayed like a solid string of pearls.
O rose of his cheek—surely from a blossoming bud!
ياO وَردَroses of خَدَّيهِhis cheeks أَماis there not مِنany ناشِقٍone to inhale
يا وَردَ خَدَّيهِ أَما مِن ناشِقٍ
ياO عَذبَsweet water of مَرشَفِهِhis lips أَماis there not مِنany وارِدِone coming to drink
يا عَذبَ مَرشَفِهِ أَما مِن وارِدِ
O roses of his cheeks—is there no one to breathe your scent?
O sweetness of his mouth—surely from a flowing stream!
O sweet water of his lips—is there no one to drink?
It would cease the injustice of my oppressive heart
يَفتَرُّhe parts his lips عَنto reveal ظَلمٍgleaming saliva لِقَلبِيto my heart ظالِمٍunjust
يَفتَرُّ عَن ظَلمٍ لِقَلبِي ظالِمٍ
يَجريflows عَلىover شَهدٍhoney بِشَوقِيto my longing شاهِدِbearing witness
يَجري عَلى شَهدٍ بِشَوقِي شاهِدِ
He parts his lips, revealing gleaming saliva that wrongs my heart,
Flowing with the honey of my fervent passion
Flowing over honey that bears witness to my longing.
If his love in the soul inclined to one
لِحَبابِهِfor his saliva's bubbles فيin النَفسِthe soul لَوif حابىhe bestowed favor بِهِwith it
لِحَبابِهِ في النَفسِ لَو حابى بِهِ
فِعلُthe effect of ابنِthe son of مَريَمَMary فيupon الرمِيمِdecayed bones البائِدِlifeless
فِعلُ ابنِ مَريَمَ في الرمِيمِ البائِدِ
His saliva's bubbles, were he to favor me with them, would have upon the soul
It would act like Jesus with the withered corpse
The effect of the son of Mary upon decayed, lifeless bones.
Who is mine, to proudly display between gentle curls
مَنwho لِيfor me بِهِwith him يَختالُhe struts بَينَamong لِداتِهِhis peers
مَن لِي بِهِ يَختالُ بَينَ لِداتِهِ
كَالبَدرِlike the full moon بَينَamong كَواكِبٍstars وَفَراقِدand Farqad stars
كَالبَدرِ بَينَ كَواكِبٍ وَفَراقِد
Who will bring him to me, strutting among his peers,
Like the moon among stars pouring down
Like the full moon among stars and the Farqad stars?
And to gently incline in the garb of beauty
وَيَميسُand he sways فيin حُلَلِthe robes of الجَمالِbeauty كَماjust as ثَنىbent
وَيَميسُ في حُلَلِ الجَمالِ كَما ثَنى
نَفَسُthe breath of الصَباthe east wind عِطفَthe side of القَضِيبِthe bough المائِدِswaying
نَفَسُ الصَبا عِطفَ القَضِيبِ المائِدِ
And he sways in beauty's robes, as is bent
As the morning breeze bends the supple branch
A swaying bough's side by the east wind's breath.
Tempting glances—never free of
فَتّانُbewitching لَحظٍin glance ماnever خَلَتwere free أَجفانُهُhis eyelids
فَتّانُ لَحظٍ ما خَلَت أَجفانُهُ
عَنof ساحِرٍa sorcerer أَوor نافِثٍa spell-blower أَوor عاقِدِa knot-tier
عَن ساحِرٍ أَو نافِثٍ أَو عاقِدِ
Bewitching of glance, his eyelids have never been free
A sorcerer, or one with the evil eye or curse
Of a sorcerer, or a spell-blower, or a knot-tier.
Shall I hope for his acceptance and favor
هَلis it possible أَرتَجِيI hope for إِقبالَهُhis approach وَقَبُولَهُand his acceptance
هَل أَرتَجِي إِقبالَهُ وَقَبُولَهُ
وَالدَهرُwhile time فِيهِconcerning him مُعارِضِيmy opponent وَمُعانِديand my adversary
وَالدَهرُ فِيهِ مُعارِضِي وَمُعانِدي
Can I hope for his approach and his acceptance,
When time brings those against me and opposed?
While time opposes and defies me concerning him?
Or his nearness, when fortune does not aid me
أَوor قُربَهُhis nearness وَالسَعدُwhile good fortune غَيرُnot مُساعِديmy helper
أَو قُربَهُ وَالسَعدُ غَيرُ مُساعِدي
أَوor طَيفَهُhis dream-vision وَالجَفنُand the eyelid لَيسَis not بِراقِدِasleep
أَو طَيفَهُ وَالجَفنُ لَيسَ بِراقِدِ
Or for his nearness, when good fortune does not aid me?
Or his image, when my eye is not at rest?
Or for his dream-vision, when my eyelid is sleepless?
Shall I delight in remnants when contentment
أَأَلَذُّcan I delight بِالبُقَيىin surviving وَماwhen not عَهدُthe time of الرِضىfavor
أَأَلَذُّ بِالبُقَيى وَما عَهدُ الرِضى
باقٍlasting وَلاnor عَصرُthe age of الوِصالِunion بِعائِدِreturning
باقٍ وَلا عَصرُ الوِصالِ بِعائِدِ
Can I delight in living on, when the days of favor
Is not lasting, nor the season of union to come?
Do not endure, nor will the time of union return?
If you will, O beautiful one called Ahmad
لَوif شَئتَyou wished ياO حَسَناًbeautiful one تَسَمّىtook the name أَحمَداًAhmad
لَو شَئتَ يا حَسَناً تَسَمّى أَحمَداً
لَجَمَعتَyou would have united بَينَbetween مَحاسِنٍbeautiful qualities وَمَحامِدِand praiseworthy qualities
لَجَمَعتَ بَينَ مَحاسِنٍ وَمَحامِدِ
Had you wished, O beautiful one who calls himself Ahmad,
You would gather perfections and praises
You would have joined beautiful qualities with praiseworthy ones.
Why does one who comes with sincere faith
ماwhat بالُis the matter with مَنone who وافىcame بِدِينٍwith a faith خالِصٍpure
ما بالُ مَن وافى بِدِينٍ خالِصٍ
فيin الحُبِّlove يَبقىremains فِيin عَذابِtorment خالِدِeverlasting
في الحُبِّ يَبقى فِي عَذابِ خالِدِ
Why does one who comes with pure faith
In love remain in endless torment?
In love remain in everlasting torment?
O Lord, grant him reward for slaying me intentionally
ياO رَبّLord هَبgrant أَجريmy reward لَهُto him فيfor قَتلَتيthe killing of me
يا رَبّ هَب أَجري لَهُ في قَتلَتي
عَمداًdeliberately وَهَبand grant لِيto me عَنهُin his stead وِزرَthe burden of sin of العامِدِthe willful killer
عَمداً وَهَب لِي عَنهُ وِزرَ العامِدِ
O Lord, grant him my reward for my being killed
And grant me pardon for his weighty offense
Deliberately, and grant me in his stead the willful killer's burden of sin.
O you who obeyed advisors yet often
ياO مَنyou who أَطاعَheeded بِيَconcerning me الوُضاةَthe informers (uncertain reading) وَطالَماand so often
يا مَن أَطاعَ بِيَ الوُضاةَ وَطالَما
عاصَيتُI disobeyed فِيهِfor his sake نَصائِحِيmy counsels وَمَراشِديand my sound guidance
عاصَيتُ فِيهِ نَصائِحِي وَمَراشِدي
O you who heeded the informers [uncertain reading] concerning me, while so often
I disobeyed counsel and guide in you
I defied my counsels and my sound guidance for his sake.
It’s enough that your beauty seduced my chastity
يَكفيsuffices for جَمالَكَyour beauty أَنthat فَتَنتَyou bewitched عَواذِليmy reproachers
يَكفي جَمالَكَ أَن فَتَنتَ عَواذِلي
وَكَفىand suffices for سَقاميmy sickness أَنthat تَرِقَّfeel compassion حَواسِدِيmy enviers
وَكَفى سَقامي أَن تَرِقَّ حَواسِدِي
Your beauty is amply proved by your having bewitched my reproachers;
And my sickness suffices that cushions are elevated
And my sickness is amply proved by the pity of my enviers.
I gained no share of you—what share is there in love
لَمdid not أَحظَI win favor مِنكَfrom you وَأَيُّand what حَظٍّfortune فيin الهَوىlove
لَم أَحظَ مِنكَ وَأَيُّ حَظٍّ في الهَوى
لِمُسارِقِfor one stealing اللَحظاتِglances غَيرِnot مُعاوِدِrepeating
لِمُسارِقِ اللَحظاتِ غَيرِ مُعاوِدِ
I won no favor from you—and what fortune in love
For one who steals glances, no promise to return?
Has one who steals glances, never repeating them?
I lost my days in your estrangement—would that
أَفنَيتُI exhausted أَيّاميmy days بِهَجرِكَthrough your forsaking لِيme فَصِلso join me
أَفنَيتُ أَيّامي بِهَجرِكَ لِي فَصِل
قَبلَbefore المَماتِdeath وَلَوeven if only بِيَومٍfor a day واحِدِone
قَبلَ المَماتِ وَلَو بِيَومٍ واحِدِ
I have exhausted my days through your forsaking me; so join me
Death had come just one day sooner
Before death, if only for a single day.
By God, I have no purpose for this world when
تَاللَهِby God ماnot بالَيتُI cared بِالدُنياabout the world وَمَنand those who
تَاللَهِ ما بالَيتُ بِالدُنيا وَمَن
فِيهاare in it إِذاif كانَis الحَبيبُthe beloved مُساعِديmy supporter
فِيها إِذا كانَ الحَبيبُ مُساعِدي
By God, I care nothing for the world or anyone
My beloved does not favor me
In it, if my beloved stands by me.
Partial English translation: 57 of 58 Arabic lines translated.