ذكرَ الخَيفَ والحِمى وَحَجونَه

ذكرَ الخَيفَ والحِمى وَحَجونَه

فَذرى دمعَه وأَبدى مَصونَه

فَذرى دمعَه وأَبدى مَصونَه

He recalled al-Khayf, the sanctuary, and its Hajun.

He recalled the fear, anxiety, and grief

So he shed his tears and revealed what he had kept hidden.

His tears flowed, revealing his inner pains

وَأَعادَ الهوى له عيدَ وجدٍ

وَأَعادَ الهوى له عيدَ وجدٍ

منع النوم بالبُكاءِ جفونَه

منع النوم بالبُكاءِ جفونَه

And love brought back for him a festival of longing

And love returned to him like a festival of passion

That denied his eyelids sleep through weeping.

Sleep evaded his weeping eyes

لا تَلوموه إِن بَكى من جَواهُ

لا تَلوموه إِن بَكى من جَواهُ

وأَجدَّ الأَسى عليه جنونَه

وأَجدَّ الأَسى عليه جنونَه

Do not blame him if he weeps from his burning anguish,

Do not blame him for weeping out of longing

And grief renews the madness that besets him.

Or being maddened by deep sorrow

كُلُّ صبٍّ إذا تذكَّرَ يوماً

كُلُّ صبٍّ إذا تذكَّرَ يوماً

هَيَّج الذكرُ وجدَه وشجونَه

هَيَّج الذكرُ وجدَه وشجونَه

Every lovesick lover, when one day he remembers,

Whenever a lover recalls a day gone by

Has his longing and his sorrows stirred by remembrance.

Memories stir his passion and laments

يا نَزولاً ببطن مكَّةَ عَطفاً

يا نَزولاً ببطن مكَّةَ عَطفاً

بمحبٍّ أَبَحتُمُ اليومَ هونَه

بمحبٍّ أَبَحتُمُ اليومَ هونَه

O you who lodge in the valley of Mecca, have compassion

O you who descended in Mecca showing kindness

On a lover whose humiliation you have sanctioned today,

To a beloved whose affection you belittled today

مولَعٍ بالأَسى عزيزِ تأَسٍّ

مولَعٍ بالأَسى عزيزِ تأَسٍّ

قرَّح الدمعُ خدَّه وشؤونَه

قرَّح الدمعُ خدَّه وشؤونَه

Enamored of grief, hard to console:

A noble lover, deeply grieved

Tears have ulcerated his cheek and his tear ducts.

His flowing tears marred his cheeks

قد أَطلتم مطلَ المحبِّين فاِقضوا

قد أَطلتم مطلَ المحبِّين فاِقضوا

دَين صَبٍّ أَذقتموه مَنونَه

دَين صَبٍّ أَذقتموه مَنونَه

You have long delayed payment to lovers; now repay

You have lingered too long tormenting lovers

The debt owed to a lovesick lover whom you have made taste his death.

So fulfill the debt of one whose love you once enjoyed

ثم إِن شئتُمُ صِلوا أَو فصدّوا

ثم إِن شئتُمُ صِلوا أَو فصدّوا

ما عليه إذا قضيتم ديونَه

ما عليه إذا قضيتم ديونَه

Then, if you wish, grant union—or else turn away:

Then, if you wish, make peace or turn away

What does it matter to him, once you have paid his dues?

For he owes you nothing once his dues are paid