خَضَعتُ وَأَمرُكَ الأَمرُ المُطاعُ

خَضَعتُ وَأَمرُكَ الأَمرُ المُطاعُ

وَذاعَ السِرُّ وَاِنكَشَفَ القِناعُ

وَذاعَ السِرُّ وَاِنكَشَفَ القِناعُ

I have submitted, and your command is the command obeyed.

I submit, your command is the command to be obeyed,

And the secret spread, and the veil was lifted.

The secret has spread, and the mask has been unveiled.

وَهَل يَخفى لِذي وَجدٍ حَديثٌ

وَهَل يَخفى لِذي وَجدٍ حَديثٌ

أَتَخفى النارُ يَحمِلُها اليَفاعُ

أَتَخفى النارُ يَحمِلُها اليَفاعُ

And can a lover's tale remain concealed?

Can the words of one in love remain hidden?

Can fire be hidden when a hilltop bears it?

Can fire be concealed by the kindler?

أَشاعوا أَنَّني عَبدٌ لِموسى

أَشاعوا أَنَّني عَبدٌ لِموسى

نَعَم صَدَقوا عَلَيَّ بِما أَشاعوا

نَعَم صَدَقوا عَلَيَّ بِما أَشاعوا

They spread word that I am a slave to Musa.

They spread that I'm a slave to Moses,

Yes, they spoke the truth about me in what they spread.

Yes, they spoke true about me.

وَقَد سَكَتَ الوُشاةُ اليَومَ عَنّي

وَقَد سَكَتَ الوُشاةُ اليَومَ عَنّي

أَقَرَّ الخَصمُ فاِرتَفَعَ النِزاعُ

أَقَرَّ الخَصمُ فاِرتَفَعَ النِزاعُ

And today the slanderers have fallen silent about me.

Today, the slanderers are silent about me,

The adversary conceded, and the dispute came to an end.

The adversary conceded, so the conflict ceased.

عَبَدتُ هَواكَ فَاِستَهوى عَفافي

عَبَدتُ هَواكَ فَاِستَهوى عَفافي

كَأَنَّ الوُدَّ وَدٌّ أَو سُواعُ

كَأَنَّ الوُدَّ وَدٌّ أَو سُواعُ

I worshipped my love for you, and it seduced my chastity,

I served your love, so my chastity was tempted,

As though affection were Wadd or Suwaʿ.

As if passion is a lover, or clouds promising rain.

بَعَثتُ وَسيلَةً لَكَ مِن وِدادي

بَعَثتُ وَسيلَةً لَكَ مِن وِدادي

فَصافَحَ وَفدَها مِنكَ الضَياعُ

فَصافَحَ وَفدَها مِنكَ الضَياعُ

I sent you a plea born of my affection,

I sent a message of my devotion to you,

But loss from you shook hands with its delegation.

But its envoys were lost in your wilderness.

هَلَكتُ بِما رَجَوتُ بِهِ خَلاصي

هَلَكتُ بِما رَجَوتُ بِهِ خَلاصي

وَقَد يُردي سَفينَتَهُ الشِراعُ

وَقَد يُردي سَفينَتَهُ الشِراعُ

I perished through what I hoped would bring my deliverance,

I'm ruined by what I hoped would save me,

And a sail may wreck its own ship.

The sail can capsize the sailor's ship.

نَفى سَهَري الخَيالَ فَهَل رُقادٌ

نَفى سَهَري الخَيالَ فَهَل رُقادٌ

يُعارُ لِوَصلِ طَيفِكَ أَو يُباعُ

يُعارُ لِوَصلِ طَيفِكَ أَو يُباعُ

My sleeplessness banished the dream-vision—is there sleep

My fantasies denied me sleep—can slumber

To be lent for union with your phantom, or sold?

Be lent to meet your phantom, or sold?

لَقَد أَربى هَواكَ عَلى عَذابي

لَقَد أَربى هَواكَ عَلى عَذابي

كَما أَربَت عَلى الأَدَبِ الطِباعُ

كَما أَربَت عَلى الأَدَبِ الطِباعُ

My love for you has indeed surpassed my torment,

Your love has nurtured my torment,

As innate dispositions surpass acquired refinement.

As nature nurtures dispositions.

أَخافُ عَلَيكَ أَن أَشكوكَ بَثّي

أَخافُ عَلَيكَ أَن أَشكوكَ بَثّي

مُشافَهَةً فَيُخجِلَكَ السَماعُ

مُشافَهَةً فَيُخجِلَكَ السَماعُ

I fear, for your sake, to tell you of my anguish

I fear complaining of my sorrows to you

Face to face, lest hearing it put you to shame.

Lest hearing them shame you.

وَإِن عَبَّرتُ عَن شَوقي بِكُتبٍ

وَإِن عَبَّرتُ عَن شَوقي بِكُتبٍ

تَلَهَّبَ في أَنامِلِيَ اليَراعُ

تَلَهَّبَ في أَنامِلِيَ اليَراعُ

And if I express my longing in letters,

If I express my longing in writing,

The reed pen bursts into flame in my fingers.

The scrolls will ignite in my fingers.