لا كورد الخدود ورد جني

لا كورد الخدود ورد جني

او كطيب الجعود طيب وريُّ

او كطيب الجعود طيب وريُّ

No freshly plucked rose is like the roses of cheeks;

No freshly picked rose is like the roses of your cheeks,

nor any richly fragrant perfume like the fragrance of curls;

Nor richly fragrant perfume like the scent of your curls;

او كقلب المحب لم يُروَ وريّاً

او كقلب المحب لم يُروَ وريّاً

او كريق الحبيب كاس رويُّ

او كريق الحبيب كاس رويُّ

nor aught like the lover’s heart—unquenched though replete;

Nor has a love-sick heart like the lover's been told of,

nor any thirst-quenching cup like the beloved’s nectar.

Nor a thirst-quenching cup like the beloved's saliva.

يا حبيب القلوب فيك دلال

يا حبيب القلوب فيك دلال

وبهذا الدلال انت حريُّ

وبهذا الدلال انت حريُّ

O beloved of hearts, coy charm dwells in you,

O beloved of hearts, there is coquetry in you,

and of such coyness you are worthy.

And you are worthy of this coquetry.

ليس يحلو الا بثغرك شربٌ

ليس يحلو الا بثغرك شربٌ

لي مساغ او يصفو عيش هنيُّ

لي مساغ او يصفو عيش هنيُّ

No drink is sweet to me save at your mouth;

Only at your lips is a drink sweet—

it will not go down for me, nor will a carefree life grow clear.

One easy for me to swallow—or a blissful life serene.

لك وجهٌ هدى وشعر ضلالٌ

لك وجهٌ هدى وشعر ضلالٌ

فيهما للمشوق رشد وغيُّ

فيهما للمشوق رشد وغيُّ

For you, my face is guidance, my hair my straying;

Your face is guidance, your hair misguidance;

in both, the yearning lover finds right guidance and error.

In them the yearning lover finds right guidance and error.

لك في الجفن ابيض مشرفيٌّ

لك في الجفن ابيض مشرفيٌّ

ومن القدِّ اسمرٌ سمهريُّ

ومن القدِّ اسمرٌ سمهريُّ

Yours, within the eyelid, is a white Mashrafī blade;

In your eyelid is a gleaming Mashrafi sword,

and from your figure, a brown Samharī spear.

And your stature is a tawny Samhari spear.

خلق كالعبير يذكو شذاه

خلق كالعبير يذكو شذاه

فهو للناشقين مسك ذكي

فهو للناشقين مسك ذكي

A character like perfume, whose fragrance grows ever stronger;

A character like perfume, whose fragrance grows strong:

to all who inhale it, it is intensely fragrant musk—

So to those who inhale it, it is intensely fragrant musk.

مندلي اريجه مدنيٌّ

مندلي اريجه مدنيٌّ

في العرانين نافح داري

في العرانين نافح داري

Mandalī aloeswood, its aroma Medinan,

Mandali perfume, its fragrance Madani,

wafting Dārī perfume through the nostrils.

Dari perfume wafting into the nostrils.

لم تعض عن هواك سعدي ونعمٌ

لم تعض عن هواك سعدي ونعمٌ

لا ولا ميَّ يا فدى لك مي

لا ولا ميَّ يا فدى لك مي

My happiness and bliss have never made up for loving you—

Sa'da and Nu'm have given me no substitute for your love,

no, nor Mayy; may Mayy be your ransom!

No, nor Mayy—may Mayy be a ransom for you!

قد لويت المحب عهداً وثيقاً

قد لويت المحب عهداً وثيقاً

فانجز الوعد يا رعتك لويّ

فانجز الوعد يا رعتك لويّ

You have bound the lover with a firm covenant;

You have delayed fulfilling a binding pledge to the lover;

then fulfill the promise—may Luʾayy watch over you.

So fulfill the promise—may Lu'ayy protect you!

عزَّ لولاك في الاخلاء خلٌّ

عزَّ لولاك في الاخلاء خلٌّ

وعزيز الوجود خلٌّ وفي

وعزيز الوجود خلٌّ وفي

Were it not for you, a true friend among intimates would be rare;

Were it not for you, a friend among companions would be rare,

and rare indeed in all existence is a loyal friend.

And a faithful friend is rare to find.

فلرب الجمال لطف جلي

فلرب الجمال لطف جلي

ولرب الجلال لطف خفي

ولرب الجلال لطف خفي

Many a beauty has a grace revealed,

Thus the lord of beauty has manifest grace,

and many a majesty a grace concealed.

And the lord of majesty has hidden grace.

يا غزال الغري قلبي كناس

يا غزال الغري قلبي كناس

فيه مغناك لا الكناس الغري

فيه مغناك لا الكناس الغري

O gazelle of al-Gharī, my heart is a lair;

O gazelle of al-Ghari, my heart is a covert;

therein is your dwelling, not al-Gharī’s lair.

Your dwelling is in it, not in the fair covert.

لي فوق الخدود دمع فدمع

لي فوق الخدود دمع فدمع

وبطي الضلوع كيٌّ فكي

وبطي الضلوع كيٌّ فكي

Upon my cheeks is tear upon tear,

Upon my cheeks, tear follows tear,

and deep within my ribs, brand upon brand.

And within my ribs, searing follows searing.

نشر الحب ما الأضالع تطوي

نشر الحب ما الأضالع تطوي

وكذا الحب فيه نشر وطي

وكذا الحب فيه نشر وطي

Love unfolds what the ribs fold away;

Love has unfolded what the ribs keep folded,

and so love contains both unfolding and folding.

And such is love: in it are unfolding and folding.

لك مني رسائل الشوق تترى

لك مني رسائل الشوق تترى

انت دون الرفاق فيها الحبي

انت دون الرفاق فيها الحبي

From me to you, longing’s letters come in unbroken succession;

To you, from me, letters of longing come in succession;

you alone among all companions are the beloved within them.

You, not the companions, are their favored one.

راض صعب القريض رب قواف

راض صعب القريض رب قواف

لو بعصر الرضي قيل الرضي

لو بعصر الرضي قيل الرضي

A tamer of difficult verse, a master of rhymes—

A master of rhymes has tamed unruly verse;

had he lived in al-Raḍī’s age, he would have been called al-Raḍī.

Had he lived in al-Radi's age, he would have been called al-Radi.