رقّgrew tender لماwhen هواكِloved you عقليmy mind فماso not يقcan (first part)
رقّ لما هواكِ عقلي فما يق
درcan (last part) إلاexcept علىof رقيقdelicate المعانيmeanings
در إلا على رقيق المعاني
My mind grew tender when it loved you, so it can
My reason softened when I loved you, so it cannot express anything but the most delicate meanings.
manage only delicate meanings.
Do not blame me, for this is neither my own doing nor my eloquence and rhetoric.
لاdo not تلمنيblame me فليسfor it is not ذلكthat منfrom أمmy doing (first part)
لا تلمني فليس ذلك من أم
ريmy doing (last part) ولاnor منfrom بدائعيmy original creations وبيانيand my eloquence
ري ولا من بدائعي وبياني
Do not blame me: that is not of my doing,
Rather, I saw your beauty in the mirror of my thoughts- my tongue became tied.
nor of my creations and my eloquence.
You are all beauty, O you whom I concealed from people with some beauty.
غيرexcept أنيthat I شاهدتsaw حسنكyour beauty فيin مرmirror (first part)
غير أني شاهدت حسنك في مر
آةmirror (last part) فكريmy thought فتاةa maiden; likely 'and wandered' فيهin it لسانيmy tongue
آة فكري فتاة فيه لساني
It is only that I saw your beauty in the mirror
May Allah not cure my heart of love for you, even if it hopes for cure after a while.
of my thought, and my tongue wandered within it.
Indeed, sickness for you is your manifest blessing, its traces evident on the bodies.
أنتyou كلall الحسانthe beautiful ones ياO منyou whom أكنّيI refer to indirectly
أنت كل الحسان يا من أكنّي
عنهabout him بينamong الورىhumankind ببعضthrough some of الحسانthe beautiful ones
عنه بين الورى ببعض الحسان
You are all beauties, O you whom I name indirectly
Did the limbs not flutter with pain, serious as if they were desires?
among humankind through some of the beauties.
I heard the melody of sighing painfully, yet it did not burden me like songs do.
لاmay not شفاheal اللهGod منfrom هواكlove for you فؤاديmy heart
لا شفا الله من هواك فؤادي
إنif تمنىit wishes for الشفاhealing ولوand even if بعدafter آنa moment
إن تمنى الشفا ولو بعد آن
May God not heal my heart of love for you,
And if the tale of glimpses flows, in it hearts pound with palpitation.
if it wishes for healing, even after a moment.
Or do hearts not dance to your coquetry? And the heart is a bird of the branches.
إنماonly السقمsickness فيكfor you نعمتكyour blessing الظاmanifest (first part)
إنما السقم فيك نعمتك الظا
هرmanifest (last part) آثارهاits traces علىon الأبدانbodies
هر آثارها على الأبدان
Lovesickness for you is but your blessing,
You filled my eyelids so the kohl did not excel from being united with its place.
whose traces are manifest on bodies.
Since they saw you, my eyes have denied recognizing sleep, just as they denied recognizing your beauty a second time.
أولمand have ... not? تطربrejoice الجوارحthe limbs بالآat pains (first part)
أولم تطرب الجوارح بالآ
لامpains (last part) وجداًin passionate longing كأنهنas though they were الأمانيwishes
لام وجداً كأنهن الأماني
Have the limbs not thrilled at
God knows that none but you stirs my heart, even if it flows upon my tongue.
pains, in longing, as though they were wishes?
You are my soul, my comfort, my life, my existence, my hearing and my sight.
سمعتheard رنةringing الأنينmoaning بألحاin melodies (first part)
سمعت رنة الأنين بألحا
نmelodies (last part) فماso not شاقهاenthralled them سماعhearing الأغانيsongs
ن فما شاقها سماع الأغاني
They heard the ringing of moans in
Your imagination appears to me while awake. Do you know a specter that hurts those awake?
melodies, and hearing songs did not enthrall them.
This is the vision of hearts, so will you one day allow the vision of entities?
وإذاand when ماever (emphatic) جرىflowed حديثtalk of اللقاترthe meeting; first part of 'dance'
وإذا ما جرى حديث اللقاتر
قصdance (last part) فيهin it القلوبhearts بالخفقانwith beating
قص فيه القلوب بالخفقان
And whenever talk of meeting flows,
I am rich in love for you, but poor to your enchanting beauty.
hearts dance to it with their beating.
Come back, even if impossible, your slave, and allow the mirage to come to the thirsty.
أولاand do ... not? ترقصdance القلوبhearts علىon غصbough (first part)
أولا ترقص القلوب على غص
نكyour bough (last part) والقلبand the heart طائرa bird الأغصانof the boughs
نك والقلب طائر الأغصان
And do hearts not dance upon your bough,
My longing increased due to my lack of patience. Is there any compensation for that loss?
while the heart is a bird among boughs?
How can I be alone without even the specter of imagination, while the sentry of slumber is upon my eyelids?
وملأتand you filled الجفونthe eyelids منكwith you فماso not فاwon (first part)
وملأت الجفون منك فما فا
زwon (last part) الكرىsleep منfrom وصالهاunion with them بمكانa place
ز الكرى من وصالها بمكان
And you filled the eyelids with yourself, so sleep found
My tears flowed in two seas: one from the affliction of my heart, the other from the blood of my body.
no place in their embrace.
Then it softened after sleep drowned, and the ship of sorrows anchored.
أنكرتthey denied منذsince رأتكthey saw you معرفةknowledge of النوsleep (first part)
أنكرت منذ رأتك معرفة النو
مsleep (last part) كماjust as أنكرتthey denied لحسنكfor your beauty ثانan equal
م كما أنكرت لحسنك ثان
Since seeing you, they denied knowledge of
My blamer transgressed while a neighbor- but can the light of certainty be extinguished by false accusations?
sleep, as they denied your beauty any equal.
He whose heart is not empty of love is not related to purity.
علمknew اللهGod أنthat غيركanyone other than you لاnot يجpasses (first part)
علم الله أن غيرك لا يج
ريpasses (last part) بقلبيthrough my heart ولوand even if جرىpassed بلسانيon my tongue
ري بقلبي ولو جرى بلساني
God knows that no one but you passes
Do not blame him, for can the blind see the sun or the deaf incline to melodies?
through my heart, even if another crosses my tongue.
How can I ask to be distracted from love - the sustenance of my soul? May God have mercy on my distraction.
أنتyou are روحيmy soul وراحتيand my repose وحياتيand my life
أنت روحي وراحتي وحياتي
ووجوديand my existence ومسعيand my striving وعيانيand my sight
ووجودي ومسعي وعياني
You are my soul, my repose, and my life,
A king who gained influence in souls, every possessor of authority wishes for it.
and my existence, my striving, and my sight.
The state of hearts submitted to his vision, and came to his glory in humiliation.
أجتليI behold يقظةًwhile awake خيالكyour image هلdo? تعلمyou know
أجتلي يقظةً خيالك هل تعلم
طيفاًa dream-vision ألمّvisited باليقظانone who is awake
طيفاً ألمّ باليقظان
I behold your image while awake—do you know
He captivated the soul and the restraint with traits created by the hand of the Merciful.
of a dream-vision visiting someone awake?
His face is of the narcissus of the full moon, but his cheek is of the anemones.
هذهthis رؤيةvision of القلوبhearts فهلso will? تسمحyou permit
هذه رؤية القلوب فهل تسمح
يوماًone day برؤيةa vision with الأعيانthe eyes
يوماً برؤية الأعيان
This is the vision of hearts; will you grant
He harvested the fruits of the two gardens from his two cheeks, fresh yet unharvested.
one day a vision with the eyes?
A garden bearing hopes but does not harvest those hopes except by the eyelids.
أناI منthrough حبكlove for you الغنيthe rich one ولكنيand yet I
أنا من حبك الغني ولكني
فقيرin need لحسنكof your beauty الفتانbewitching
فقير لحسنك الفتان
I am rich through love for you, yet I am
This is the garden of beauties - if I met it, my hands would offer what they presented.
in need of your bewitching beauty.
This is the Kaaba of subtleties, but my circumambulation of it is out of faith.
عدpromise ولوand even if بالمحالwith the impossible عبدكyour servant واسمحand permit
عد ولو بالمحال عبدك واسمح
بورودan approach to السرابthe mirage للظمآنfor the thirsty one
بورود السراب للظمآن
Promise your servant even the impossible, and permit
People claimed that in its corner there is an imaginer, but it is an unfounded claim.
the thirsty one to approach the mirage.
Rather, from its delicacy, the eyewitness saw a human, from the eyes of the seers during witnessing.
زادincreased شوقيmy longing لنقصbecause of diminishing صبريmy patience فهلso is?
زاد شوقي لنقص صبري فهل
ماwhat زادincreased جبرcompensation لذلكfor that النقصانdecrease
ما زاد جبر لذلك النقصان
My longing grew as my patience diminished; can
Safety, safety from the sorrows of moments that lead coyness without restraint.
that increase make up for that decrease?
You claim to be drunk, but do you think the arrow is in the hand of the drunkard?
كيفhow أخلوcan I be alone ولوand even if بطيفwith a phantom خيالof imagination
كيف أخلو ولو بطيف خيال
ورقيبand the watchman السهادof sleeplessness فيin الأجفانthe eyelids
ورقيب السهاد في الأجفان
How can I be alone, even with an imagined phantom,
I wish it would mend the heart by breaking it, and revive me by lifting me up sometimes.
while sleeplessness keeps watch within my eyelids?
The cure of the heart is a sip of his lips. The essence of my soul, O his coral mouth!
وجرتand flowed أدمعيmy tears ببحرينin two seas منfrom ذوmelting (first part)
وجرت أدمعي ببحرين من ذو
بmelting (last part) فؤاديmy heart ومنand from دمblood الجثمانthe body
ب فؤادي ومن دم الجثمان
And my tears flowed in two seas, from the melting
So observe the smile of beauties, and beware the army of harm in the mouths of the beautiful.
of my heart and from the body's blood.
Do not diminish its way with ease, nor deviate with the breeze of basil's breath.
ثمَّthen رقتgrew thin منfrom بعدafter ماthat غرقdrowned النوsleep (first part)
ثمَّ رقت من بعد ما غرق النو
مsleep (last part) وأرستand came to anchor سفينةthe ship of الأشجانsorrows
م وأرست سفينة الأشجان
Then they grew thin, after sleep had drowned
None who met him escaped my heart with an arrow, and he has two arrows from his gaze.
and the ship of sorrows had come to anchor.
I died passionately in love with him, so who will reward my time? The lover of passion gets two rewards.
واعتدىand transgressed عاذليmy reproacher وجارand was unjust وهلand can? يطفأbe extinguished
واعتدى عاذلي وجار وهل يطفأ
نورthe light of اليقينcertainty بالبهتانby slander
نور اليقين بالبهتان
And my reproacher transgressed and wronged me; can
the light of certainty be quenched by slander?
ماnot صفاbecame pure قلبهhis heart منthrough الحبlove لاno
ما صفا قلبه من الحب لا
ولهand it has نسبةa kinship إلىwith الصفوانsmooth rock
وله نسبة إلى الصفوان
His heart has not been purified by love—no;
it is akin to smooth, hard stone.
لاdo not تلمهblame him فهلfor can? يرىsee الشمسthe sun أعمىa blind man
لا تلمه فهل يرى الشمس أعمى
أوor يميلinclines الأصمthe deaf one للألحانto melodies
أو يميل الأصم للألحان
Do not blame him: can a blind man see the sun,
or a deaf man incline to melodies?
كيفhow أسلوcan I forget منone whose حبهlove for him قوتsustenance of روحيmy soul
كيف أسلو من حبه قوت روحي
رحمmay have mercy on اللهGod فيin الهوىlove سلوانيmy consolation
رحم الله في الهوى سلواني
How can I forget one whose love sustains my soul?
May God have mercy on my solace in love.
ملكa king نالgained فيin النفوسsouls نفوذاًsway
ملك نال في النفوس نفوذاً
يتمناهdesires it كلevery ذيpossessor of سلطانpower
يتمناه كل ذي سلطان
A king who gained such sway over souls
as everyone with power desires.
خضعتsubmitted دولةthe realm of القلوبhearts لرؤياto the sight of
خضعت دولة القلوب لرؤيا
هhim وجاءتand came لعزّهto his glory بهوانin abasement
ه وجاءت لعزّه بهوان
The realm of hearts bowed at the sight of
him and came in abasement before his glory.
أسرcaptured الروحthe soul والنهىand reason بصفاتwith qualities
أسر الروح والنهى بصفات
أبدعتwondrously fashioned خلقهاtheir creation يدthe hand of الرحمنthe All-Merciful
أبدعت خلقها يد الرحمن
He captured the soul and reason with qualities
wondrously fashioned by the hand of the All-Merciful.
وجههhis face منamong شقائقsiblings البدرthe full moon لكنbut
وجهه من شقائق البدر لكن
خدّهhis cheek منof شقائقanemones (flower-name component) النعمانal-Nu'man (flower-name component)
خدّه من شقائق النعمان
His face is kin to the full moon, but
his cheek is of anemones.
وجنىand the fruit of الجنتينthe two gardens منfrom وجنتيهhis two cheeks
وجنى الجنتين من وجنتيه
يانعripe غيرexcept أنهthat it غيرnot دانnear at hand
يانع غير أنه غير دان
And the fruit of the two gardens, from his two cheeks,
is ripe, yet not within reach.
جنَّةa garden تثمرbears as fruit الأمانيwishes ولاand not تجare gathered (first part)
جنَّة تثمر الأماني ولا تج
نىare gathered (last part) بغيرwithout الجفونthe eyelids تلكthose الأمانيwishes
نى بغير الجفون تلك الأماني
A garden that bears wishes; those wishes are
gathered only with the eyelids.
هذهthis جنةthe paradise of المحاسنbeauties لوif only ألI might find (first part)
هذه جنة المحاسن لو أل
قىI might find (last part) لديهاthere ماwhat قدمتهthey sent it ahead اليدانthe two hands
قى لديها ما قدمته اليدان
This is the paradise of beauty—if only I might find
there what my two hands have sent ahead.
هذهthis كعبةthe Kaaba of اللطائفsubtle charms لكنّbut
هذه كعبة اللطائف لكنّ
طوافيmy circumambulation بهاaround it منpart of الإيمانfaith
طوافي بها من الإيمان
This is the Kaaba of subtle charms, but
my circling it is an act of faith.
وادَّعىand claimed الناسpeople أنthat فيin ركنهاits corner خاa mole (first part)
وادَّعى الناس أن في ركنها خا
لa mole (last part) ولكنand yet دعوىa claim بغيرwithout بيانproof
ل ولكن دعوى بغير بيان
And people claimed that in its corner was
a mole—but a claim without proof.
إنماonly لاحappeared منbecause of لطافتهاits delicacy إنpupil (first part)
إنما لاح من لطافتها إن
سانpupil (last part) عينeye الراءينof the beholders عندat العيانdirect seeing
سان عين الراءين عند العيان
What appeared, through its delicacy, was only
the pupil of the beholders' eyes as they gazed.
الأمانprotection! الأمانprotection! منfrom سودdark ألحاglances (first part)
الأمان الأمان من سود ألحا
ظglances (last part) تقودlead النهىreason بغيرwithout عنانa rein
ظ تقود النهى بغير عنان
Protection! Protection from dark
glances that lead reason without a rein!
تدّعيthey claim أنهاthat they are سكارىdrunk وماand what
تدّعي أنها سكارى وما
ظنّكyour thought بالسهمof an arrow فيin يدthe hand of السكرانthe drunkard
ظنّك بالسهم في يد السكران
They claim to be drunk—and what
do you think of an arrow in a drunkard's hand?
ليتهاwould that they تجبرmend الفؤادthe heart بكسرby breaking or lowering
ليتها تجبر الفؤاد بكسر
وتحييand revive برفعهاby their rising أحيانيmy days
وتحيي برفعها أحياني
If only they would mend my heart with a lowered glance,
and revive my days by raising their gaze.
وشفاءand the cure of الفؤادthe heart رشفsipping شفاهlips
وشفاء الفؤاد رشف شفاه
قوتsustenance of روحيmy soul ياقوتهاtheir ruby المرجانيcoral-like
قوت روحي ياقوتها المرجاني
And the heart's cure is sipping the lips;
my soul's sustenance is their coral ruby.
فتأمَّلso contemplate ثغرالمحاسنbeauty's mouth واحذرand beware
فتأمَّل ثغرالمحاسن واحذر
عسكرthe army of الدرpearls فيin ثغورfrontier strongholds الجمانpearl beads
عسكر الدر في ثغور الجمان
So contemplate beauty's mouth, and beware
the pearl army in the strongholds of pearl beads.
لاdo not تقصcut/recount; likely 'compare' ريقهhis saliva براحwith wine ولاnor
لا تقص ريقه براح ولا
تعدلequate برياءwith ostentation; likely 'with his fragrance' نفحةa waft of الريحانbasil
تعدل برياء نفحة الريحان
Do not compare his saliva to wine, nor
match a waft of basil to his fragrance.
لمdid not يفزwin منfrom لقاهmeeting him قلبيmy heart بسهمa share
لم يفز من لقاه قلبي بسهم
ولهand it has منfrom لحاظهhis glances سهمانtwo arrows
وله من لحاظه سهمان
My heart won no share in meeting him,
yet it has two arrows from his glances.
متّI died وجداًof passionate longing بهfor him فمنso who ليfor me بأجرwith a reward
متّ وجداً به فمن لي بأجر
وقتيلand one slain by الهوىlove لهhe has أجرانtwo rewards
وقتيل الهوى له أجران
I died of longing for him; who will grant me a reward?
And one slain by love has two rewards.
Partial English translation: 44 of 88 Arabic lines translated.