مَرْآك النَّضيرْ عَلا وجَلّا

مَرْآك النَّضيرْ عَلا وجَلّا

حُسْناً عَنْ نَظيرْ في الدُّنْيا

حُسْناً عَنْ نَظيرْ في الدُّنْيا

Your radiant appearance has risen high and grown sublime,

Your radiant face has risen, resplendent,

in beauty beyond any peer in this world.

Surpassing in beauty all others in the world.

ما أنْتَ في المِلاحِ إِلّا زَيْنْ

ما أنْتَ في المِلاحِ إِلّا زَيْنْ

يا دائمَ الجِماحِ كم ذا البَيْن

يا دائمَ الجِماحِ كم ذا البَيْن

Among the beautiful, you are nothing but adornment.

You are nothing but charm amongst men -

O ever-wayward one, how long this separation?

O ever dovelike one, such absence is far too long!

هَل آفةُ السَّماحِ إِلّا المَينْ

هَل آفةُ السَّماحِ إِلّا المَينْ

أضْحَيْتَ كالصَّباحِ

أضْحَيْتَ كالصَّباحِ

Is generosity's bane anything but falsehood?

Is not generosity’s bane but pain?

You have become like the dawn:

You have become like the dawn -

تَفْضَحُ البُدورْ مَهْما أهلّا

تَفْضَحُ البُدورْ مَهْما أهلّا

وَجْهُكَ المُنيرْ أو حيَّا

وَجْهُكَ المُنيرْ أو حيَّا

you shame the full moons whenever it appears—

Exposing all homes, however much adorned,

your radiant face—or offers a greeting.

Your shining face gives life when it appears.

مَنْ ناصِرُ الكَئيبْ مِنْ أجْفانِ

مَنْ ناصِرُ الكَئيبْ مِنْ أجْفانِ

غُزَيِّلٍ رَبِيبْ ذي سُلطانِ

غُزَيِّلٍ رَبِيبْ ذي سُلطانِ

Who will defend the sorrowful one from the eyelids

Who will help the sorrowful one with eyelids

of a cherished little gazelle, possessed of power,

Of a delicate, young beloved of power?

سَطا عَلى القُلوبْ بالهِجْرانِ

سَطا عَلى القُلوبْ بالهِجْرانِ

يَدْعُو بلا مُجيب

يَدْعُو بلا مُجيب

who assailed hearts with abandonment?

He has dominion over hearts through estrangement,

He calls with none to answer.

Calling without an answerer,

مالَهُ نَصيرْ ولا تَسَلَّى

مالَهُ نَصيرْ ولا تَسَلَّى

مَنْ رأى فُتورْ عَيْنَيَّا

مَنْ رأى فُتورْ عَيْنَيَّا

No helper has he, nor has he found solace—

With no helper or comforter,

he who has seen the languor of my two eyes.

When the languor of my eyes is seen.

قَدْ جَلَّ مَنْ بَراهُ بِلا نِدّ

قَدْ جَلَّ مَنْ بَراهُ بِلا نِدّ

كالظَّبْيِ في حُلاهُ وفي الصَّدِّ

كالظَّبْيِ في حُلاهُ وفي الصَّدِّ

Exalted indeed is He who fashioned him without equal:

He who beholds him is exalted without rival,

like a gazelle in his charms and his shunning,

Like a gazelle in its meadows, seeking shade,

والبَدْرُ في سَناهُ وفي البُعْدِ

والبَدْرُ في سَناهُ وفي البُعْدِ

مُعَطَّرٌ شَذاهُ

مُعَطَّرٌ شَذاهُ

and the full moon in his radiance and remoteness.

The full moon in its glory, from afar -

His fragrance is perfumed.

His fragrance diffusing,

مِنْ صِرْفِ الخُمورْ تَخال عُلّا

مِنْ صِرْفِ الخُمورْ تَخال عُلّا

ثَغْرُهُ العَطِيرْ الرَّيَّا

ثَغْرُهُ العَطِيرْ الرَّيَّا

You would think unmixed wine had again moistened

Intoxicated by wine’s turning.

his fragrant mouth, sweet of scent.

His sweet mouth smiles.

هَل للرِّضا سبيلْ أو للصَّبرِ

هَل للرِّضا سبيلْ أو للصَّبرِ

قَدْ شَفَّني الغَليلْ مِنَ الهَجْرِ

قَدْ شَفَّني الغَليلْ مِنَ الهَجْرِ

Is there a path to favor, or to patience?

Is there a way to acceptance or patience,

The burning thirst of separation has indeed wasted me.

When anguish from separation has healed me?

ها عَبْرَتي تَسيلْ عَلى نَحْرِي

ها عَبْرَتي تَسيلْ عَلى نَحْرِي

كَمْ ذا النَّوى الطويلْ

كَمْ ذا النَّوى الطويلْ

See, my tear flows down my breast.

Oh, my tears flow down my throat!

How long must this prolonged separation last?

How long will this intention last?

لَيْتَهُ يَزُورْ عَسَى وعَلّا

لَيْتَهُ يَزُورْ عَسَى وعَلّا

هَيَّا يا بَشيرْ بي هَيّا

هَيَّا يا بَشيرْ بي هَيّا

If only he would visit—perhaps, perhaps!

If only he would visit - perhaps, hopefully -

Come, O bearer of glad tidings; come with me!

Come now, o bringer of good news - come!

يا قَلْبِيَ المُعَنَّى مِنَ الصَّدِّ

يا قَلْبِيَ المُعَنَّى مِنَ الصَّدِّ

أعِدْ عَليَّ مَعْنى هذا الودِّ

أعِدْ عَليَّ مَعْنى هذا الودِّ

O my heart, tormented by rejection,

Oh my burdened heart - recall for me

tell me again the meaning of this love:

The meaning of this affection

بِمَنْ غَدَوْتُ مُضْنَى رَهْنَ الوَجْدِ

بِمَنْ غَدَوْتُ مُضْنَى رَهْنَ الوَجْدِ

فقالَ لي وغَنَّى

فقالَ لي وغَنَّى

For whom have I grown wasted, hostage to longing?

For whom I have become distressed, caught in passion.

Then it said to me and sang:

He said to me, and sang -

بي بَدْرٌ إذا تَجَلَّى

بي بَدْرٌ إذا تَجَلَّى

فالمَوْتُ المُبِيرْ ما أهْيا

فالمَوْتُ المُبِيرْ ما أهْيا

Within me is a full moon; when he reveals himself,

The full moon, when it appears.

then annihilating death—how lovely!

So early death - what an awakening!