حَبَبْتُ نِسَاءً وَلَكِنْ

حَبَبْتُ نِسَاءً وَلَكِنْ

كَمَا حَببْتُكَ لاَ لاَ

كَمَا حَببْتُكَ لاَ لاَ

I have loved women, but

I have loved women, but

Not as I have loved you—no, no.

Not as I have loved you, no, no.

وَقَفْتُ كَلَّ حَياتِي

وَقَفْتُ كَلَّ حَياتِي

عَلَيْكِ وَقْفاً حَلاَلاَ

عَلَيْكِ وَقْفاً حَلاَلاَ

I devoted all my life

I have dedicated my whole life to you,

To you, as a lawful endowment.

A lawful dedication.

لَمْ أَدَّخِرْ ذَاتَ نَفْسِي

لَمْ أَدَّخِرْ ذَاتَ نَفْسِي

يَوْماً وَلَمْ أَقْنِ مَالاَ

يَوْماً وَلَمْ أَقْنِ مَالاَ

I never held back my very self,

I have not saved my soul

Even for a day, nor did I amass wealth.

A single day, nor hoarded money.

ولَمْ أَرُدْكِ عَلَى أَنْ

ولَمْ أَرُدْكِ عَلَى أَنْ

تُلْقِي لأَمْرِي بَالاَ

تُلْقِي لأَمْرِي بَالاَ

Nor did I press you to

I have not wanted you to

Pay heed to my affairs.

Take responsibility for my affairs.

ولَمْ أَسُمْكِ عِنَاءً

ولَمْ أَسُمْكِ عِنَاءً

إِجَابَةً أَوْ سُؤُالاَ

إِجَابَةً أَوْ سُؤُالاَ

Nor did I put you to the trouble

I have not called you "trouble"

Of answering or asking.

In response or question.

وَلَمْ أَكَلِّفْكِ إِلاَّ

وَلَمْ أَكَلِّفْكِ إِلاَّ

حُسْنَ اللِّقَاءِ وِصَالاَ

حُسْنَ اللِّقَاءِ وِصَالاَ

Nor did I ask anything of you but

I have asked of you only

A gracious welcome when we came together.

The goodness of meeting and union.

حَصَرْتُ فِيكِ مَنَايَ

حَصَرْتُ فِيكِ مَنَايَ

الحِسَانَ وَالآمَالاَ

الحِسَانَ وَالآمَالاَ

In you alone I centered my wishes,

I focused my desires on you -

The beautiful ones, and my hopes.

Goodness and hopes.

فَكُنْتِ نُورَ وُجُودِي

فَكُنْتِ نُورَ وُجُودِي

وَمَا عَدَاكِ ظِلالا

وَمَا عَدَاكِ ظِلالا

So you were the light of my existence,

So you were the light of my existence,

And all beyond you was shadows.

And anything besides you was shadows.

لاَ شِغْلَ يَشْغُلُ قَلْبِي

لاَ شِغْلَ يَشْغُلُ قَلْبِي

سِوَاكِ حَالاً فَحَالاَ

سِوَاكِ حَالاً فَحَالاَ

No concern occupies my heart

No occupation occupies my heart

But you, moment after moment.

Other than you, state after state.

جَمعْتِ فِي عَيْني اللُّطْفَ

جَمعْتِ فِي عَيْني اللُّطْفَ

كُلَّهُ وَالجَمَالاَ

كُلَّهُ وَالجَمَالاَ

In my eyes you combined grace—

You brought together in my eyes

All of it—and beauty.

All charm and beauty.

وَبِالقِياسِ إِلى الحُسْنِ

وَبِالقِياسِ إِلى الحُسْنِ

فِيكِ قَسْتُ الكَمَالاَ

فِيكِ قَسْتُ الكَمَالاَ

And by comparison with the beauty

And by your standard of beauty

In you, I measured perfection.

I measured perfection.

فَذَاكَ ذَاكَ التَّفَانِي

فَذَاكَ ذَاكَ التَّفَانِي

في الحُبِّ أَوْ لاَ فَلاَلاَ

في الحُبِّ أَوْ لاَ فَلاَلاَ

So that—that is selfless devotion

Such is this annihilation

In love—or, if not, then no, no.

In love - or no, no!