يا من يعيرني بحبٍّ كان لي

يا من يعيرني بحبٍّ كان لي

دَرَجاً رقيتُ بهِ السماكَ الأعزلا

دَرَجاً رقيتُ بهِ السماكَ الأعزلا

O you who reproach me for a love that once was mine—

O you who reproach me for a love that was for me

it was a stairway by which I climbed to Spica, the Unarmed.

A stairway by which I climbed to Spica, the Unarmed.

لولاه مارضتُ الزمانَ وقدُتهُ

لولاه مارضتُ الزمانَ وقدُتهُ

قسراً فاجنائي المكارمَ والعلا

قسراً فاجنائي المكارمَ والعلا

Without it, I would never have tamed Time and led it

Without it, I would not have tamed time and driven it

by force, and so made noble deeds and glory bear fruit for me.

By force, so that it made me reap noble deeds and lofty glory.

واتاحَ لي نَيلَ العلوم وكنزَها

واتاحَ لي نَيلَ العلوم وكنزَها

حتى غدوتُ ممدَّحاً بين الملا

حتى غدوتُ ممدَّحاً بين الملا

It enabled me to attain loftiness and its treasure,

And it enabled me to acquire the sciences and store them up,

until I became acclaimed among all people.

Until I became much praised among the people.

لولاهُ ما خضتُ الصعابَ أُجيلها

لولاهُ ما خضتُ الصعابَ أُجيلها

رَحبٍ الجوانح باسماً متهلّلا

رَحبٍ الجوانح باسماً متهلّلا

Without it, I would not have braved hardships, sweeping them away,

Without it, I would not have plunged into hardships, navigating them,

broad-hearted, smiling, radiant;

Broad of breast, smiling and beaming.

كلاَّ ولم اعلُ البحارَ مغامراً

كلاَّ ولم اعلُ البحارَ مغامراً

سعياً ولا جبت الفدافدَ والفلا

سعياً ولا جبت الفدافدَ والفلا

nor—never—would I have mounted the seas as an adventurer,

No indeed, nor would I have ridden the seas, adventuring

pressing onward, or crossed the boundless deserts and wastes.

In pursuit, nor crossed the barren wastes and deserts.

فهو الذي ادنى المراتبَ عنوةً

فهو الذي ادنى المراتبَ عنوةً

مني فصرت بها الوجيهَ الأَمثلا

مني فصرت بها الوجيهَ الأَمثلا

For it is love that forcibly drew the ranks of honor near

For it is what brought the ranks by force

to me, and through them I became the foremost, most exemplary notable.

Close to me, so through them I became distinguished and exemplary.

قد نلتُ أوسمةَ الملوك بفضلهِ

قد نلتُ أوسمةَ الملوك بفضلهِ

وبايدهِ سرُّ الحيوة ليَ انجلى

وبايدهِ سرُّ الحيوة ليَ انجلى

Through its grace I won the insignia of kings,

I have won kings' decorations through its favor,

and by its power life's secret was unveiled to me.

And by its power, the secret of life became clear to me.

فهو المهذّب صبوتي وهو المجيد

فهو المهذّب صبوتي وهو المجيد

قريحتي حتى هَمَت سحراً حلا

قريحتي حتى هَمَت سحراً حلا

It refined my youthful passion and ennobled

For it refines my youthful passion, and it perfects

my poetic gift, until it poured forth sweet magic.

My poetic gift, until it poured forth sweet enchantment.

لولا انتعاش خواطري بنسيمهِ

لولا انتعاش خواطري بنسيمهِ

ذهبَت سمُومٍ الهمِّ بي نحو البلى

ذهبَت سمُومٍ الهمِّ بي نحو البلى

Had its breeze not revived my inspirations,

Had my thoughts not been revived by its breeze,

grief's scorching winds would have swept me toward decay.

The scorching wind of sorrow would have carried me toward decay.

لولاهُ كنتُ أذلَّ من وطيء الثرى

لولاهُ كنتُ أذلَّ من وطيء الثرى

غِرًّا بليداً بالخمول مكبَّلا

غِرًّا بليداً بالخمول مكبَّلا

Without it, I would have been lowlier than anyone who trod the earth,

Without it, I would have been the lowliest of those who trod the dust,

a callow dullard, shackled by obscurity.

Naive, dull-witted, shackled by obscurity.

لم ينتفع مني الوجودُ بطائلٍ

لم ينتفع مني الوجودُ بطائلٍ

لا استحقُّ من الانام سوى القلى

لا استحقُّ من الانام سوى القلى

Existence would have gained nothing worthwhile from me,

The world would have gained nothing worthwhile from me;

nor would I deserve from humankind anything but loathing.

I would deserve nothing from humankind but loathing.

لُم جُر إِذَن عيّر أطل عذلي أضِع

لُم جُر إِذَن عيّر أطل عذلي أضِع

فضلى أبح قتلي فما انا من سلا

فضلى أبح قتلي فما انا من سلا

Blame me, wrong me then; taunt me; prolong your reproach; squander

Blame me, wrong me, then; taunt me, prolong your reproach of me; squander

my merit; permit my killing—for I am not one who forgets.

My merit; permit my killing, for I am not one who has ceased to love.

وانا الهوى وابن الهوى وابو الهوى

وانا الهوى وابن الهوى وابو الهوى

عبدالهوى ملكُ الهوى فاذهب الى

عبدالهوى ملكُ الهوى فاذهب الى

I am passion itself, passion's son, and passion's father—

And I am love, and love's son, and love's father,

passion's slave, passion's king—so go to...

Love's slave, love's king—so go to...