إِلى اللَهِ أَشكو لا إِلى الناسِ حُبُّها

إِلى اللَهِ أَشكو لا إِلى الناسِ حُبُّها

وَلا بُدَّ مِن شَكوى حَبيبٍ يُوَدِّعُ

وَلا بُدَّ مِن شَكوى حَبيبٍ يُوَدِّعُ

To God, not to people, I lament my love for her.

To God I complain, not to people, of her love,

And a lover bidding farewell cannot help but lament.

And a lover must complain of his beloved when he bids her adieu.

إِذا قُلتُ هَذا حينَ أَسلو ذَكَرتُها

إِذا قُلتُ هَذا حينَ أَسلو ذَكَرتُها

فَظَلَّت لَها نَفسي تَتوقُ وَتَنزَعُ

فَظَلَّت لَها نَفسي تَتوقُ وَتَنزَعُ

Whenever I say, "This is the time to cease pining," I remember her,

When I say this as I yearn for her, she comes to mind,

So my soul keeps yearning and longing for her.

And for her my soul continues longing and writhing in agony.

أَلا تَتَّقينَ اللَهَ في حُبِّ عاشِقٍ

أَلا تَتَّقينَ اللَهَ في حُبِّ عاشِقٍ

لَهُ كَبِدٌ حَرّى عَلَيكِ تَصَدَّعُ

لَهُ كَبِدٌ حَرّى عَلَيكِ تَصَدَّعُ

Will you not fear God concerning the love of a lover

Will you not fear God regarding the love of a lover

Whose burning liver is splitting apart for you?

Whose liver is burnt for you and split open?

غَريبٌ مَسوقٌ بِاِدِّكارِكُم

غَريبٌ مَسوقٌ بِاِدِّكارِكُم

وَكُلُّ غَريبِ الدارِ بِالشَوقِ مولَعُ

وَكُلُّ غَريبِ الدارِ بِالشَوقِ مولَعُ

A stranger, driven by remembrance of you all,

A stranger I am, lured by your memory,

And every stranger far from home is consumed by longing.

And every stranger far from home yearns and craves.

وَجَدَت غَداةَ البَينِ إِذ بنت زَفرَةً

وَجَدَت غَداةَ البَينِ إِذ بنت زَفرَةً

وَكادَت لَها نَفسي عَلَيكَ تَصَدَّعُ

وَكادَت لَها نَفسي عَلَيكَ تَصَدَّعُ

On the morning of parting, when you left, I felt a sigh,

When we parted I found the next morning my tears flow

And at that sigh my soul nearly split apart over you.

And for you my soul almost burst within.

وَأَصبَحتُ مِمّا أَحدَثَ الدَهرُ خاشِعاً

وَأَصبَحتُ مِمّا أَحدَثَ الدَهرُ خاشِعاً

وَكُنتُ لِرَيبِ الدَهرِ لا أَتَضَعضَعُ

وَكُنتُ لِرَيبِ الدَهرِ لا أَتَضَعضَعُ

And I have become humbled by what time has brought about,

So I became humbled by the blows of fate

Yet I once stood unshaken before time's misfortunes.

And from the blows of fate I do not waver.

فَما في حَياةٍ بَعدَ مَوتِك رَغبَةٌ

فَما في حَياةٍ بَعدَ مَوتِك رَغبَةٌ

وَلا في وِصالٍ بَعدَ هَجرِكَ مَطمَعُ

وَلا في وِصالٍ بَعدَ هَجرِكَ مَطمَعُ

So I have no desire for life after your death,

After your death I crave no life

And no hope of union after your abandonment.

And after your estrangement I crave no union.

وَما لِلهَوى وَالحُبِّ بَعدَك لذَّةٌ

وَما لِلهَوى وَالحُبِّ بَعدَك لذَّةٌ

وَماتَ الهَوى وَالحُبُّ بَعدَك أَجمَعُ

وَماتَ الهَوى وَالحُبُّ بَعدَك أَجمَعُ

And after you, passion and love hold no delight;

No pleasures are there for love after you,

And after you, passion and love have died altogether.

For after you love and loving are dead altogether.

إِذا قُلتُ هَذا حينَ أَسلو وَأَجتَري

إِذا قُلتُ هَذا حينَ أَسلو وَأَجتَري

عَلى هَجرِها ظَلَّت لَها النَفسُ تَشفَعُ

عَلى هَجرِها ظَلَّت لَها النَفسُ تَشفَعُ

Whenever I say, "This is the time to cease pining," and dare

When I say this as I blame myself and make excuses

to forsake her, my soul keeps interceding for her.

For her estrangement, my soul intercedes for her.

وَإِن لُمتُ نَفسي كَيفَ أَنّي هَجَرتُها

وَإِن لُمتُ نَفسي كَيفَ أَنّي هَجَرتُها

وَرُمتُ صُدوداً ظَلَّت العَينُ تَدمَعُ

وَرُمتُ صُدوداً ظَلَّت العَينُ تَدمَعُ

And if I reproach myself for how I forsook her,

And if I blame my soul, how can I estrange her

And seek to turn away, my eye keeps shedding tears.

When she approaches with tears streaming from my eyes?

فَيا قَلبُ خَبِّرني فَلَستَ بِفاعِلٍ

فَيا قَلبُ خَبِّرني فَلَستَ بِفاعِلٍ

إِذا لَم تَنَل وَاِستَأسَرَت كَيفَ تَصنَعُ

إِذا لَم تَنَل وَاِستَأسَرَت كَيفَ تَصنَعُ

So, O heart, tell me—though you will not do so—

So, my heart, tell me. You can do nothing else,

If you do not win her and are taken captive, what will you do?

If she will not be yours, what can you do?

وَقَد قَرَعَ الواشونَ فيها لَكَ العَصا

وَقَد قَرَعَ الواشونَ فيها لَكَ العَصا

وَإِنَّ العَصا كانَت لِذي الحِلمِ تُقرَعُ

وَإِنَّ العَصا كانَت لِذي الحِلمِ تُقرَعُ

And the slanderers have already tapped the staff to warn you about her;

Misfortune’s stick has struck you regarding her.

And indeed, the staff was struck for those with discernment.

But that stick is made to strike the wise.

فَيا رَبُّ حَبِّبني إِلَيها وَأَعطِني ال

فَيا رَبُّ حَبِّبني إِلَيها وَأَعطِني ال

مَوَدَّةَ مِنها أَنتَ تُعطي وَتَمنَعُ

مَوَدَّةَ مِنها أَنتَ تُعطي وَتَمنَعُ

So, O Lord, make me dear to her, and grant me the

O Lord, make me love her and give me

affection from her; You give and withhold.

Affection from her. You give and You deprive.