تَأَوَّبَ عَينَهُ وَهناً قَذاها

تَأَوَّبَ عَينَهُ وَهناً قَذاها

وَداواها الطَبيبُ فَما شَفاها

وَداواها الطَبيبُ فَما شَفاها

Late at night, the grit returned to his eye,

His eyes weakened and dimmed their light

And the physician treated it, but did not cure it.

The doctor tended to them but could not heal their plight

وَأَحدَثَ قَلبُهُ خَطَراتِ حُبٍّ

وَأَحدَثَ قَلبُهُ خَطَراتِ حُبٍّ

وَأَحدَثَ شَوقُهُ حُزناً عَراها

وَأَحدَثَ شَوقُهُ حُزناً عَراها

And his heart stirred fleeting thoughts of love,

His heart stirred with intense love

And his longing brought a sorrow that overtook it,

And his longing brought much sorrow untold

لِمَن لا دارُهُ تَدنو وَلا قَد

لِمَن لا دارُهُ تَدنو وَلا قَد

عَدَت مِن دونِ رُؤيَتِهِ عِداها

عَدَت مِن دونِ رُؤيَتِهِ عِداها

For one whose home is not near, nor have

For one whose abode is far from reach

Their foes stood in the way of seeing them.

And without seeing him, days drag on and on

وَشاقَنِيَ المُنى لِلِقاءِ هِندٍ

وَشاقَنِيَ المُنى لِلِقاءِ هِندٍ

وَعَرضُ الأَرضِ واسِعَةٌ سِواها

وَعَرضُ الأَرضِ واسِعَةٌ سِواها

And hopes made me yearn to meet Hind,

Yearning for a meeting with Hind

Though the earth stretches wide beyond her.

While the vast earth contains none other

فَلَمّا أَن بَدَت شَمسٌ تَجَلَّت

فَلَمّا أَن بَدَت شَمسٌ تَجَلَّت

مِنَ الأَستارِ أَبرَزَها دُجاها

مِنَ الأَستارِ أَبرَزَها دُجاها

Then, when a sun appeared, shining forth

When the radiant sun emerged

From the curtains, whose darkness brought her into view,

From behind the veil, shining its light

ذَكَرتُ الشَوقَ وَالأَهواءَ يَوماً

ذَكَرتُ الشَوقَ وَالأَهواءَ يَوماً

يَهيجُ لِنَفسِ مَتبولٍ مُناها

يَهيجُ لِنَفسِ مَتبولٍ مُناها

I recalled longing and passions on a day

I recalled desire and passion

That stirs the hopes of a lovesick soul.

That stirs the soul of one enamored

وَكُنتُ إِذا رَأَيتُ فَتاةَ مَلكٍ

وَكُنتُ إِذا رَأَيتُ فَتاةَ مَلكٍ

مُنَعَّمَةً أَرِبتُ بِأَن أَراها

مُنَعَّمَةً أَرِبتُ بِأَن أَراها

And whenever I saw a king's maiden—

Whenever I saw a beautiful maiden

Pampered in luxury—I longed to see her.

Luxuriously adorned, I wished to behold her

وَرِمتُ الوَصلَ إِنَّ لَهُنَّ وَصلاً

وَرِمتُ الوَصلَ إِنَّ لَهُنَّ وَصلاً

شِفاءُ النَفسِ إِن شَيءٌ شَفاها

شِفاءُ النَفسِ إِن شَيءٌ شَفاها

And I sought union: indeed, union with them

And I sought intimacy, for intimacy

Is the soul's cure, if anything can cure it.

Is the cure for the soul, if anything can cure her