كَم ساهِرٍ حَرَّمَ لَمسَ الوِساد

كَم ساهِرٍ حَرَّمَ لَمسَ الوِساد

وَما أَراهُ سُؤلَهُ وَالمُراد

وَما أَراهُ سُؤلَهُ وَالمُراد

How many a sleepless man has denied himself the pillow's touch,

How many a wakeful lover has sleeplessness deprived of touching his pillow,

Yet his vigil never brought him his wish or desired end.

Yet I see not that keeping vigil avails him, nor does what he wants come to pass.

ما سَهَرُ الوالِهِ مُعطٍ لَهُ

ما سَهَرُ الوالِهِ مُعطٍ لَهُ

وَصلاً وَلَو داوَمَ طولَ السُهاد

وَصلاً وَلَو داوَمَ طولَ السُهاد

The vigil of a lovesick man does not grant him

The lover's wakefulness brings him no gain,

Union, even if he persists in long sleeplessness.

Even if he persists in long vigils and constant prayers.

وَلا اِطِّراحُ اللَهوِ داعٍ لِما

وَلا اِطِّراحُ اللَهوِ داعٍ لِما

رامَ وَسَحُّ الدَمعِ سَحُّ العِهاد

رامَ وَسَحُّ الدَمعِ سَحُّ العِهاد

Nor does renouncing amusement lead to what

Nor does sport and diversion obtain the object,

He sought; and tears pour like recurring rains.

At which one aims, while copious tears flow in profusion.

كَم والِهٍ مَرَّ هَواهُ لَهُ

كَم والِهٍ مَرَّ هَواهُ لَهُ

لَمّا حَلا مَورِدُهُ وَالمُراد

لَمّا حَلا مَورِدُهُ وَالمُراد

How many a lovesick man found his passion bitter,

How many a lover has his passion led him on,

When his watering-place and desired goal were sweet.

Only to leave him balked when he attained his wish and object!

أَطمَعَهُ حُلوُ مِراحِ الطَلا

أَطمَعَهُ حُلوُ مِراحِ الطَلا

وَهامَ لَمّا ماسَ دَلّاً وَماد

وَهامَ لَمّا ماسَ دَلّاً وَماد

The sweetness of the fawn's frolicking aroused his hopes,

The sweet taste of love's delight enticed him;

And he fell madly in love when it strutted coyly and swayed.

He became enamored when he touched a gracefuI fawn.

أَراهُ مَعسولَ اللَمى وِردَهُ

أَراهُ مَعسولَ اللَمى وِردَهُ

وَصَدَّ عَمّا رامَهُ وَهوَ صاد

وَصَدَّ عَمّا رامَهُ وَهوَ صاد

He showed him his draught in honey-sweet, dusky lips,

He saw the wine of union delicious, so he turned from

Yet turned away from what he sought, while he thirsted.

The object he had pursued, though he was steadfast before.

مُصارِمٌ ما صارَ طَوعاً لَهُ

مُصارِمٌ ما صارَ طَوعاً لَهُ

إِلّا أَراهُ ساعُهُ ما أَراد

إِلّا أَراهُ ساعُهُ ما أَراد

A breaker of ties, he never yielded to him,

Determined, he submits not to it,

Except when his forearm showed him what he desired.

Save when he sees his appointed hour and time of destiny arrive.

أَسمَرُ كَالرِمحِ لَهُ عامِلٌ

أَسمَرُ كَالرِمحِ لَهُ عامِلٌ

إِعمالُهُ حَطَّمَ سُمرَ الصِعاد

إِعمالُهُ حَطَّمَ سُمرَ الصِعاد

Tawny as a lance, he has a lance-tip,

A dark-complexioned one possesses him and plays with him,

Its wielding shattered the brown, straight spears.

Playing that shatters his collected thoughts and resolution.

أَحمَرُ كَالوَردِ لَهُ طُرَّةٌ

أَحمَرُ كَالوَردِ لَهُ طُرَّةٌ

مُسوَدَّةٌ حالِكَةٌ كَالمِداد

مُسوَدَّةٌ حالِكَةٌ كَالمِداد

Red as a rose, he has a forelock,

A rosy red one, he has, with a mark,

Jet-black, dark as ink.

Jet black, deadly and permanent as ink.

مُحَكَّمٌ سَلَّ لَطَلَّ الدِما

مُحَكَّمٌ سَلَّ لَطَلَّ الدِما

صَوارِمَ السودِ الصِحاحِ الحِداد

صَوارِمَ السودِ الصِحاحِ الحِداد

Granted full power, he drew, to spill blood unavenged,

Polished and keen, he lets loose his bright blade,

The swords of the dark ones, flawless and keen.

The polished Indian swords, deadly and gleaming.

سَدَّدَ سَهماً ماعَدا رَوعَهُ

سَدَّدَ سَهماً ماعَدا رَوعَهُ

وَرَوَّعَ العُصمَ وَلِلأُسدِ صاد

وَرَوَّعَ العُصمَ وَلِلأُسدِ صاد

He aimed an arrow that did not miss his heart,

He shot an arrow that does not miss, it found its mark,

And terrified the white-footed wild goats, and hunted lions.

Terrifying the protected, even striking the lion dead.

أَمالِكَ الأَمرِ أَرِح هالِكاً

أَمالِكَ الأَمرِ أَرِح هالِكاً

مُدِّرِعاً لِلهَمِّ دِرعَ السَواد

مُدِّرِعاً لِلهَمِّ دِرعَ السَواد

O master of command, give relief to a dying man,

O sovereign of my soul, show pity to one dying of anguish,

Clad, for sorrow, in the armor of blackness.

One clad in the armor of care of sable blackness!

أَراهُ طولُ الصَدِّ لَمّا عَدا

أَراهُ طولُ الصَدِّ لَمّا عَدا

مَرامَهُ ما هَدَّ صُمَّ الصِلاد

مَرامَهُ ما هَدَّ صُمَّ الصِلاد

Long rejection showed him, when he missed

I see that long estrangement, when he went beyond

His goal, what could shatter solid, hard rock.

My wishes never moved the stoic, undefeated by ardors of passion.

وَدَّ وَداداً طارِداً هَمَّهُ

وَدَّ وَداداً طارِداً هَمَّهُ

وَما مُرادُ الحُرِّ إِلّا الوَداد

وَما مُرادُ الحُرِّ إِلّا الوَداد

He longed for affection to drive away his sorrow,

With a love he cherished, driving away his cares,

And the freeborn man's only desire is affection.

For the free man desires only affection.

وَالمَكرُ مَكروهٌ دَها أَهلَهُ

وَالمَكرُ مَكروهٌ دَها أَهلَهُ

وَأَهلَكَ اللَهُ لَهُ أَهلَ عاد

وَأَهلَكَ اللَهُ لَهُ أَهلَ عاد

And deceit is detestable; it afflicted its own people,

But deception is hateful. Let it destroy those who practice it!

And for it God destroyed the people of ʿĀd.

And may God destroy them as He did the people of Aad!