قَلبُ المُحِبِّ إِلى الأَحبابِ مَقلوبُ

قَلبُ المُحِبِّ إِلى الأَحبابِ مَقلوبُ

وَجِسمُهُ بِيَدِ الأَسقامِ مَنهوبُ

وَجِسمُهُ بِيَدِ الأَسقامِ مَنهوبُ

The lover's heart is turned toward those he loves.

The lover's heart is overturned towards the beloved

And his body is plundered by the hand of illnesses.

And his body in the hands of tormentors plundered

وَقائِلٍ كَيفَ طَعمُ الحُبِّ قُلتُ لَهُ

وَقائِلٍ كَيفَ طَعمُ الحُبِّ قُلتُ لَهُ

الحُبُّ عَذبٌ وَلَكِن فيهِ تَعذيبُ

الحُبُّ عَذبٌ وَلَكِن فيهِ تَعذيبُ

And to one who asked, 'How does love taste?' I said:

And someone asked me, “How does love taste?” I said,

'Love is sweet, and yet within it lies torment.'

“Love is sweet but there is torment in it.”

في كُلِّ يَومٍ بِعَسّالِ القَوامِ لَنا

في كُلِّ يَومٍ بِعَسّالِ القَوامِ لَنا

وَصارِمِ اللَحظِ مَطعونٌ وَمضروبُ

وَصارِمِ اللَحظِ مَطعونٌ وَمضروبُ

Each day we have, from a swaying, spear-like figure

With slender waisted sweethearts we have

And a sword-like glance, someone pierced and struck.

Every spear-straight glance wounded and beaten

أَفدي الَّذينَ عَلى خَدَّيّ بَعدَهُم

أَفدي الَّذينَ عَلى خَدَّيّ بَعدَهُم

دَمي وَدَمعِيَ مَسفوكٌ وَمسكوبُ

دَمي وَدَمعِيَ مَسفوكٌ وَمسكوبُ

I would ransom those after whose departure, upon my cheeks,

I ransom those whose tears after them

My blood is shed and my tears are poured out.

My blood and tears spilled and poured

أَنا السَمَوأَلُ في حِفظِ الوِدادِ لَهُم

أَنا السَمَوأَلُ في حِفظِ الوِدادِ لَهُم

وَهُم إِذا وَعَدوا بِالوَصلِ عُرقوبُ

وَهُم إِذا وَعَدوا بِالوَصلِ عُرقوبُ

I am al-Samaw'al in preserving my affection for them.

I am the questioner in keeping the affection for them

And they, when they promise union, are ʿUrqūb.

And they, when they promise union, delayed

ما في الخِيامِ وَقَد سارَت حُمولُهُمُ

ما في الخِيامِ وَقَد سارَت حُمولُهُمُ

إِلّا مُحِبٌّ لَهُ في الظَعنِ مَحبوبُ

إِلّا مُحِبٌّ لَهُ في الظَعنِ مَحبوبُ

None remains in the tents, now that their laden camels have departed,

In the tents, when their caravans departed

Except a lover whose beloved is in the departing caravan.

Was no lover but for him in parting a beloved

كَأَنَّما يَوسُفٌ في كُلِّ راحِلَةٍ

كَأَنَّما يَوسُفٌ في كُلِّ راحِلَةٍ

وَالحَيُّ في كُلِّ بَيتٍ مِنهُ يَعقوبُ

وَالحَيُّ في كُلِّ بَيتٍ مِنهُ يَعقوبُ

As though there were a Joseph on every riding camel,

It's as if Joseph is in every rider

And a Jacob in every tent of the tribe.

And the living in every house has a Jacob