إِن كانَ يُرضِيكُم بأَن أَبقى كَذا

إِن كانَ يُرضِيكُم بأَن أَبقى كَذا

رَهنَ الصبَّابَةِ والغَرامِ فَحبَّذا

رَهنَ الصبَّابَةِ والغَرامِ فَحبَّذا

If it pleases you that I remain like this,

If you are pleased that I remain thus

in thrall to yearning and passion—how welcome that is!

Captive to passion and infatuation, then so be it

سَهلٌ بِكُم هذا السَّقامُ وَهَيِّنٌ

سَهلٌ بِكُم هذا السَّقامُ وَهَيِّنٌ

في حُبِّكُم ما أَلتَقيهِ منَ الأَذَى

في حُبِّكُم ما أَلتَقيهِ منَ الأَذَى

For your sake this sickness is easy to bear, and slight

With you this malady is easy and gentle

is whatever harm I encounter in loving you.

In your love what harm I encounter

يا عاذِلي ما العَذلُ ضَربةُ لازِبٍ

يا عاذِلي ما العَذلُ ضَربةُ لازِبٍ

لِفَتىً عَلَيهِ غَدا الهَوى مُستَحوذا

لِفَتىً عَلَيهِ غَدا الهَوى مُستَحوذا

O my reproacher, reproach is no binding obligation

O reproacher, reproach is no blow of a rival

toward a youth over whom passion has gained control.

To a man enthralled by love the next day

لي لا لكَ القَلبُ الَمشوقُ وَأَدمُعي

لي لا لكَ القَلبُ الَمشوقُ وَأَدمُعي

لاَدمعُكَ الجاري فَمَن يُصغي إِذا

لاَدمعُكَ الجاري فَمَن يُصغي إِذا

The longing heart is mine, not yours, and my tears,

Mine, not yours, is the loving heart, and my tears

not yours, are what flow—so who would listen, then?

Not your tears that flow, so who would listen when

لي شادِنٌ لاَ قَيَّضَ اللهُ الذي

لي شادِنٌ لاَ قَيَّضَ اللهُ الذي

أَبلَى بِهِ مِن أَسرهِ لِيَ مأخَذا

أَبلَى بِهِ مِن أَسرهِ لِيَ مأخَذا

Mine is a young gazelle; may God not grant—He who

Mine is the embrace, not assigned by God to one

has tried me through him—a way for me out of his captivity.

Who wore away by it, refuge for me to take

لَيلِيُّ لَونِ الشَّعرِ صُبِحيُّ السَّنا

لَيلِيُّ لَونِ الشَّعرِ صُبِحيُّ السَّنا

خُوطيُّ لينِ القَدِّ مِسكيُّ الشَّذا

خُوطيُّ لينِ القَدِّ مِسكيُّ الشَّذا

Night-dark in hair, dawn-bright in radiance,

My hair night-black, my chin morn-bright

supple as a tender branch in figure, fragrant as musk.

My figure slender, my scent sweet musk

لَو قابَلَ القَمرَ الُمنيرَ وَقِيلَ لي

لَو قابَلَ القَمرَ الُمنيرَ وَقِيلَ لي

هَذاكَ أَم هذا الهِلالُ لَقُلتُ ذا

هَذاكَ أَم هذا الهِلالُ لَقُلتُ ذا

If he faced the shining moon, and I were asked,

If set against the brilliant moon and asked

"Is that one the crescent, or this?" I would say, "This."

Is this it or is this the crescent, I'd say this

يا مَن لَهُ خَدٌّ غَدا مُتَنَزِّهاً

يا مَن لَهُ خَدٌّ غَدا مُتَنَزِّهاً

يا قوتُهُ عَن أَن يكونَ زُمُرُّذا

يا قوتُهُ عَن أَن يكونَ زُمُرُّذا

O you whose cheek has become unblemished,

O you whose cheek tomorrow goes unveiled

its ruby kept from becoming emerald.

O you whose strength keeps you from being effeminate