بَكَيتُ بُكا الوَليد على الفِطامِ

بَكَيتُ بُكا الوَليد على الفِطامِ

وَنُحتُ على النوى نوحَ الحمامِ

وَنُحتُ على النوى نوحَ الحمامِ

I wept as an infant weeps at weaning,

Like a babe I wept when deprived of the breast,

And mourned separation with the lament of doves.

And the doves moaned for their nest.

وَكلَّفتُ النَسيم لكم سَلاماً

وَكلَّفتُ النَسيم لكم سَلاماً

فضاع وضاع إِهدآءُ السَلامِ

فضاع وضاع إِهدآءُ السَلامِ

I charged the breeze with a greeting for you,

I bid the breeze convey loving greetings,

But it was lost, and so was the sending of the greeting.

but the errand was lost, lost in oblivion.

سَلامٌ من محبٍّ ذي فؤادٍ

سَلامٌ من محبٍّ ذي فؤادٍ

صَدقوٍ في المحبة وَالغَرامِ

صَدقوٍ في المحبة وَالغَرامِ

A greeting from a lover with a heart

Greetings of a lover, true of heart,

Sincere in love and passion.

Sincere in love and passion's smart.

فؤادٌ كالزلال صفا وَرقَّت

فؤادٌ كالزلال صفا وَرقَّت

عواطِفُهُ كَماءٍ ذي اِنسجامِ

عواطِفُهُ كَماءٍ ذي اِنسجامِ

A heart grew clear as limpid water, and tender grew

A heart pure as water, gentle in its ways,

Its feelings, like water flowing freely.

Its emotions flowing as one, as a stream stays.

جَرى حفظ الذِمام بِهِ فَحاكى

جَرى حفظ الذِمام بِهِ فَحاكى

دماً فدمآؤُهُ حفظُ الذمامِ

دماً فدمآؤُهُ حفظُ الذمامِ

Keeping faith coursed through it, resembling

It preserved allegiance, like blood congealed,

Blood; its blood is the keeping of faith.

As hearts blood within it sealed.

على مَن لَستُ انساهُ سَلامٌ

على مَن لَستُ انساهُ سَلامٌ

من القلب المشوق المُستهامِ

من القلب المشوق المُستهامِ

A greeting to the one I do not forget,

To the one I cannot forget, greetings I send,

From the yearning, love-stricken heart.

From a longing heart, to comprehend its friend.

وَما يُجدي السلام وَلا رَسولٌ

وَما يُجدي السلام وَلا رَسولٌ

يؤَدِّبه فَلَيسَ سِوى الكَلامِ

يؤَدِّبه فَلَيسَ سِوى الكَلامِ

And what good is a greeting with no messenger

What good is a message, or sending it ahead?

To convey it? It is nothing but words.

Naught remains except what's said.

على مَن عندَهُ قَلبي مقيمٌ

على مَن عندَهُ قَلبي مقيمٌ

هَنيئاً للفؤاد بذا المَقامِ

هَنيئاً للفؤاد بذا المَقامِ

To the one with whom my heart dwells—

With the one whose heart resides in me,

How fortunate the heart in this abode!

Happy is my heart, enjoying such constancy!

وددتُ لَو انَّني قَلبي لابقى

وددتُ لَو انَّني قَلبي لابقى

بذيّاك المقام على الدَوامِ

بذيّاك المقام على الدَوامِ

I wished I were my heart, so I might remain

Would that my heart with you could yet stay,

In that abode forever.

And not be forced to go away.

وَها انا في الهوى كلي فؤادٌ

وَها انا في الهوى كلي فؤادٌ

يهيم مُخالِفاً باقي الانامِ

يهيم مُخالِفاً باقي الانامِ

And here I am in love, all heart,

Not like the rest of men, thinking thereof.

Wandering love-struck, unlike the rest of humankind.

Would that I were with you, like my heart!

فَهلّا كنتُ عندك مثل قَلبي

فَهلّا كنتُ عندك مثل قَلبي

ولكن ذاك ممتنعُ المرامِ

ولكن ذاك ممتنعُ المرامِ

Why, then, was I not with you, like my heart?

But that's not easy, we're apart.

But that is beyond attainment.

So to you my heart I bid goodbye,

اذن فعليك يا قَلبيَ سَلامٌ

اذن فعليك يا قَلبيَ سَلامٌ

من الجسم المعذَّب بالسقامِ

من الجسم المعذَّب بالسقامِ

Then peace be upon you, O my heart,

While my body, sickened, heaves a sigh.

From the body tormented by sickness.

Would that I were you, would that we never part!

فَلستَ براجِعٍ وانا لو أَنّي

فَلستَ براجِعٍ وانا لو أَنّي

مكانَكَ كُنتُ مثلك بالتَمامِ

مكانَكَ كُنتُ مثلك بالتَمامِ

For you are not returning; and I, if I were

But you, O heart, are the greater part.

In your place, would be exactly like you.

Consumed by love, rapturous flame,

ولكن أَيُّها القلب المعنىَّ

ولكن أَيُّها القلب المعنىَّ

لَقَد اصبحتَ في لَهَبِ الضَرامِ

لَقَد اصبحتَ في لَهَبِ الضَرامِ

But, O tormented heart,

Beware of fires that scorch yet claim.

You are indeed now amid the flames of a raging fire.

فحاذِر ان يلمَّ بِهِ اذىً من

فحاذِر ان يلمَّ بِهِ اذىً من

لهيبك في المحبة والهيامِ

لهيبك في المحبة والهيامِ

So beware lest harm befall him from

Your blaze of love and consuming passion.