لا وَمَا سَالَ من مَسيرِ العِذَارِ

لا وَمَا سَالَ من مَسيرِ العِذَارِ

في أَسيلٍ من خدِّكَ الجُلَّنارِ

في أَسيلٍ من خدِّكَ الجُلَّنارِ

No—by what has flowed along the course of your cheek-down,

No, and what did the tears ask as they flowed

across the smooth expanse of your pomegranate-blossom cheek;

Down your soft cheek in streams?

ورُضابٍ عَذبِ الَمراشِفِ يُبدي

ورُضابٍ عَذبِ الَمراشِفِ يُبدي

لُؤلؤاً كالحَبابِ فَوقَ العُقارِ

لُؤلؤاً كالحَبابِ فَوقَ العُقارِ

and by the nectar of sweet lips, revealing

And the gentle pillow’s sweet scent reveals

pearls like bubbles upon wine;

Pearls upon pearls above the pillowcases.

وَقَوامِ إِن ماسَ يا حَيرةَ الغُص

وَقَوامِ إِن ماسَ يا حَيرةَ الغُص

ن وَبُعداً لِلَّذابلِ الخطَّارِ

ن وَبُعداً لِلَّذابلِ الخطَّارِ

and by a figure that, when it sways—oh, the bough’s bewilderment!

And a figure, if touched, O confusion of my soul,

And away with the slender, swaying spear!

Is pleasure yet distance to the withering roses.

وَلِحاظٍ كالبيِضِ في سُودِ أَجفا

وَلِحاظٍ كالبيِضِ في سُودِ أَجفا

نِ سَبَتنا بِفَتَرةٍ وانكِسارِ

نِ سَبَتنا بِفَتَرةٍ وانكِسارِ

And by glances like bright swords within dark eyelids,

And a glance like white eggs in the blackness of

which captivated us with languor and a downcast look:

Lashes which have afflicted me with weakness and despair.

ما تَسلَّيتُ عن هَوَاكَ ولا حُل

ما تَسلَّيتُ عن هَوَاكَ ولا حُل

تُ عَنِ العَهد بَعد بُعدِ الَمزارِ

تُ عَنِ العَهد بَعد بُعدِ الَمزارِ

I have not ceased loving you, nor have I turned

I have not been entertained from your love, nor have

from the pledge, even after your dwelling grew distant.

I turned from my vow, even after the distance of tombs.

وإذا ما انتقَلتَ يا بَدرُ عن طَر

وإذا ما انتقَلتَ يا بَدرُ عن طَر

فِي إِلى القَلبِ جادَ بالأمطارِ

فِي إِلى القَلبِ جادَ بالأمطارِ

And when you pass, O full moon, from my eye

And whenever you move away, O full moon, from a condition

into my heart, my eye pours forth showers.

To my heart, it pours with rain.

لا أُبالي بِما يكونُ وَقَلبي

لا أُبالي بِما يكونُ وَقَلبي

مَنزِلٌ من مَنازلِ الأَقمارِ

مَنزِلٌ من مَنازلِ الأَقمارِ

I care not what may come, for my heart

I do not care what happens, and my heart is

is a dwelling among the dwellings of moons.

A house of the houses of moons.

أَنتَ دُونَ الشَّغافِ في حَبَبِ القَ

أَنتَ دُونَ الشَّغافِ في حَبَبِ القَ

لبِ مُقيمٌ في جَذوةٍ من نارِ

لبِ مُقيمٌ في جَذوةٍ من نارِ

You, beneath the heart’s membrane, within its core,

You are, without passion in the beloved of the heart,

dwell in a glowing ember of fire.

Resident in a burning coal.

وَعَجيبٌ لا تَنطفَي وَعَليها

وَعَجيبٌ لا تَنطفَي وَعَليها

أَعينٌ جِدنَ بالمِياهِ الغِزار

أَعينٌ جِدنَ بالمِياهِ الغِزار

And strange it is: it is not quenched, though above it

And wondrously it does not die out, and on it

eyes have poured out copious waters.

Are eyes that have softened with copious tears.

فيكَ مَعنىً مِنَ الغَزالِ وَلَولا

فيكَ مَعنىً مِنَ الغَزالِ وَلَولا

ذاكَ ما رُحتَ مُوَلعاً بالنِّفارِ

ذاكَ ما رُحتَ مُوَلعاً بالنِّفارِ

In you is a trait of the gazelle; were it not

In you is a meaning from the gazelle, and if not

for that, you would not have grown so fond of fleeing.

For that, you would not be so enamored with fleeing.