ريحwind الصباthe east breeze روّحrefresh بذكرwith remembrance of أحبّتيmy beloveds
ريح الصبا روّح بذكر أحبّتي
روحيmy soul فقدfor indeed ذابتhas melted عليهمfor them صبوتيmy yearning
روحي فقد ذابت عليهم صبوتي
O east wind, refresh with remembrance of my beloveds
The morning breeze refreshed me with memories of my loved ones
My soul, for my yearning has melted for them.
My soul melted for them in my youth
واقصدand seek ربىthe hills of غصنٍa bough رباgrew فيin مهجتيmy heart
واقصد ربى غصنٍ ربا في مهجتي
مذsince كنتI was أسقيهwatering it جداولstreams مقلتيmy eye
مذ كنت أسقيه جداول مقلتي
And seek the hills of a bough that grew within my heart,
I longed for a branch from my Lord that grew in my mind
Since I watered it with streams from my eye.
Since I watered it with the streams of my eyelids
واكشفand uncover غلائلthe veils of بديعone wondrous in الجمالbeauty
واكشف غلائل بديع الجمال
حلوsweet المعانيin meaning رفيعexalted الجلالin majesty
حلو المعاني رفيع الجلال
And lift the veils of one wondrous in beauty,
Reveal the coverings of the beautiful one, pleasant meanings, lofty majesty
Sweet in meaning, exalted in majesty.
This is your day
ذاthis يومكyour day اليومtoday
ذا يومك اليوم
واركعand bow إذاwhen ميّاسةa gracefully swaying woman القدّin figure القديunclear epithet as written
واركع إذا ميّاسة القدّ القدي
This is your day today.
Bow down when the pillars of his holy feet
And bow when she of the swaying figure [unclear epithet]
Lifted the curtains of his face, then prostrate
رفعتshe raised ستائرthe veils of وجههاher face ثمّthen اسجدِprostrate yourself
رفعت ستائر وجهها ثمّ اسجدِ
وإذاand when تثنّتshe swayed بالمثانيwith the oft-repeated verses وحّدِproclaim oneness
وإذا تثنّت بالمثاني وحّدِ
Raises the veils from her face; then prostrate yourself.
And when she sways with coyness, affirm the oneness
And when she sways to the oft-repeated verses, proclaim oneness;
So the evens match the unevenness of beauty
فالشفعfor the paired فيin وترthe unpaired المحاسنbeauties يقتديfollows an example
فالشفع في وتر المحاسن يقتدي
ردّseek water (probable reading) ذاthe possessor of المناهلwellsprings وسيعvast المجالin reach
ردّ ذا المناهل وسيع المجال
For the paired follows the unpaired in beauty.
Restore these watering places, vast expanse
Seek the one with wellsprings, vast in reach,
Pure coolness at the approach, clear flowing
عندupon التدانيdrawing near صافيpure الزلالlimpid water
عند التداني صافي الزلال
لاdo not تسمعlisten to اللومreproach
لا تسمع اللوم
Whose water is pure and limpid when you draw near.
Do not listen to blame
Do not listen to reproach.
She is mine and though the distance is long, I am hers
هيshe ليis mine وإنeven if طالgrew long المدىthe span وأناand I لهاam hers
هي لي وإن طال المدى وأنا لها
فيunder شرعa law منfrom هذاthis الزمانage أناI لهاam hers
في شرع من هذا الزمان أنا لها
She is mine, though the span grow long, and I am hers.
By the law of this time, I am hers
Under a law of this age, I am hers.
No heart has excuses from her beauty, I am hers
لاmay not كانthere be قلبٌa heart عنaway from محاسنهاher charms لهاwas distracted
لا كان قلبٌ عن محاسنها لها
عذراءa maiden بالإحسانthrough kindness كمhow often فتحتI opened لهاfor her
عذراء بالإحسان كم فتحت لها
May no heart exist that neglects her charms.
A virgin in kindness, how much she opened for me
A maiden—how often, through kindness, I have opened for her!
Then descend to the dwelling of inaccessible union
فانزلso alight منازلthe dwellings of منيعinaccessible الوصالin union
فانزل منازل منيع الوصال
سهلeasy التدانيto approach عزيزdifficult المنالto attain
سهل التداني عزيز المنال
So alight in the dwellings of one whose union is hard to attain,
Easy to approach, mighty to attain
Easy to approach, difficult to win,
Away from the eyes of sleep
عنaway from أعينthe eyes of النومsleep
عن أعين النوم
شمسthe sun of المدامةwine برجthe zodiacal house of كأسيmy cup حلّتِhas alighted
شمس المدامة برج كأسي حلّتِ
Away from the eyes of sleep.
The sun of wine poured in my cup
The sun of wine has entered the zodiacal house of my cup;
Lifted the covering from eyes, made me tipsy
عنfrom أعينeyes كشفthe lifting of الستورthe veils أحلّتِhas made lawful
عن أعين كشف الستور أحلّتِ
فتألّفتso they gathered زهرthe bright ones among النجومthe stars بخمرتيthrough my wine
فتألّفت زهر النجوم بخمرتي
It has made the lifting of veils from eyes lawful.
So I blended with the flowers of stars in my drink
So the bright stars have gathered through my wine,
And gained more sobriety in my deep intoxication
وازددتand I increased صحواًin sobriety فيin تمكّنthe firm hold of سكرتيmy intoxication
وازددت صحواً في تمكّن سكرتي
فالزمso keep to ورديmy litany أياO ولهانlove-distraught one
فالزم وردي أيا ولهان
And I grew more sober as my intoxication took firm hold.
So stick to my roses, sway and melt
So keep to my litany, O love-distraught one,
And beware of revealing, for secrecy
واحذرand beware of تبديdisclosure إنّindeed الكتمانconcealment
واحذر تبدي إنّ الكتمان
مشاربthe drinking places of القومthe folk
مشارب القوم
And beware of disclosure, for concealment is
Is the way of the people
The drinking places of the folk.
The saint prayed early when the banner of the beloved fluttered
صلّىmay He bless الوليthe Protector ماas long as باكرتbrought at dawn سحبُthe clouds of الربىthe hills
صلّى الولي ما باكرت سحبُ الربى
ديمَsteady rains of السلامpeace علىupon الحبيبthe beloved المجتبَىthe chosen one
ديمَ السلام على الحبيب المجتبَى
May the Protector send blessings, as long as the hill-clouds bring at dawn
May his peace be eternal on the chosen beloved
Steady rains of peace upon the chosen beloved,
No trembling shook the souls of the prophets
ماas long as زفزفٌa gusting wind هبّتblew بأرواحwith the breaths of النباtidings
ما زفزفٌ هبّت بأرواح النبا
أوor ماas long as شداsang طيرthe birds of الهواتفunseen voices منfrom قُباQuba
أو ما شدا طير الهواتف من قُبا
As long as a gust blows with the breaths of tidings,
Or loud calls of the birds from the heights
Or as long as the birds of unseen voices sing from Quba:
The best of means, intercessor of men
خيرthe best of الوسائلmeans of approach شفيعintercessor for الرجالmen
خير الوسائل شفيع الرجال
كنزthe treasure of الأمانيhopes رفيعexalted in الخصالvirtues
كنز الأماني رفيع الخصال
The best means of approach, intercessor for men,
Treasure of wishes, lofty traits
Treasure of hopes, exalted in virtues,
On that day
فيon ذلكthat اليومday
في ذلك اليوم
On that day.
Partial English translation: 34 of 35 Arabic lines translated.