1. مهلاً فقد أسرعت في مقتلي

    إن كان لا بد فلا تعجلِ

    Take it slowly—you have hastened to slay me.

    If it must be, then do not hurry.

  2. أنجزت إتلافي بلا علَّةٍ

    الله في حمل دمي المثقلِ

    You have accomplished my destruction without cause.

    Fear God in bearing the heavy burden of my blood.

  3. لم تبق لي فيك سوى مهجةٍ

    بالله في استدراكها أجملِ

    You have left me, in loving you, only my life-blood;

    for God's sake, be gracious in saving it.

  4. إن كنت لا بدَّ جوًى قاتلي

    فاستخر الله ولا تفعلِ

    If you must kill me through love's anguish,

    then seek God's guidance, and do not do it.

  5. رفقاً بما أبقيت من مدنفٍ

    ليس له دونك من معقلِ

    Be gentle with what you have left of one wasting away,

    who has no stronghold other than you.

  6. يكاد من رقَّته جسمه

    يسيل من مدمعه المسبلِ

    His body, from its frailty, almost

    flows from his tear-shedding eye.

  7. ما لك في إتلافه طائلٌ

    فارعَ له عهداً ولا تهملِ

    You gain nothing by destroying him;

    so honor a pledge to him, and do not neglect it.

  8. كم من قتيلٍ في سبيل الهوى

    مثلي بلا ذنبٍ جنى فابتلي

    How many have been slain in the path of love,

    like me, who committed no sin yet was afflicted!

  9. أول مقتول جوًى لم أكن

    قاتله جارَ ولم يعدلِ

    I was not the first slain by love's anguish

    whose killer wronged him and did not act justly.

  10. يا مانعي الصَّبر وطيب الكرى

    عن حالتي بعدك لا تسألِ

    O you who deny me patience and the sweetness of sleep,

    do not ask how I fare in your absence.

  11. قد صرت من عشقك حيران لا

    أعلم ماذا بي ولم أجهلِ

    I have grown bewildered with love for you; I do not

    know what ails me, yet I am not ignorant.

  12. أغصُّ من دمعي حفاظاً لما

    فارقته من ريقك السلسلِ

    I choke on my tears, in loyalty to what

    I have lost of your sweet-flowing saliva.

  13. أفديك بالنَّفس وما دونها

    ما قيمة الأرواح أن تقبلِ

    I would ransom you with my life and all less precious;

    what worth have souls, that you should accept them?

  14. يا غصناً مال إلى طبعه

    من دلَّ جفنيك على مقتلي

    O bough that bends as its nature bids,

    who showed your eyelids my mortal spot?

  15. ورامياً أعجب من أنَّه

    أصاب في الرَّمي ولم يمهلِ

    And O archer—I marvel that he

    hit his mark in shooting, and gave no respite.

  16. رمى فأصمى مهجتي سهمه

    فكان مثل القدر المرسلِ

    He shot, and his arrow slew my heart outright;

    so it was like fate unleashed.

  17. يا ويح قلبي من هوى ظالمٍ

    يأخذ بالذَّنب ولم يعملِ

    Alas for my heart, beset by a cruel love

    that punishes it for a sin it never committed.

  18. أستغفر الله إليه وإن

    لم أقل القول ولم أفعلِ

    I seek God's forgiveness, turning to Him, though

    I spoke no such words and did no such deed.

  19. يا أعدل الناس على ظلمه

    ويا أحقَّ النَّاس من مُبطلِ

    O most just of people, despite his injustice,

    and O most righteous of people, though a wrongdoer!

  20. وجدت تعذيبك مستعذباً

    فاهجر إذا شئت وإلا صلِ

    I have found your torment sweet;

    so forsake me if you wish; otherwise, be with me.