جُنَّ قَلبي فَقُلتُ يا قَلبِ مَهلا

جُنَّ قَلبي فَقُلتُ يا قَلبِ مَهلا

لا تُبَدِّل بِالحِلمِ وَالعَزمِ جَهلا

لا تُبَدِّل بِالحِلمِ وَالعَزمِ جَهلا

My heart went mad, so I said, 'O heart, be calm.'

My heart was troubled, so I said: O heart, wait!

Do not substitute folly for forbearance and resolve.

Do not replace wisdom and resolve with ignorance.

حَلَفَت أَنَّ ما أَتاها يَقينٌ

حَلَفَت أَنَّ ما أَتاها يَقينٌ

قُلتُ لا تَحلِفي فَدَيتُكِ كَلّا

قُلتُ لا تَحلِفي فَدَيتُكِ كَلّا

She swore that what had reached her was certain.

She swore that certainty came to her.

I said, 'Do not swear—may I be your ransom—not so!'

I said: do not swear, I ransom you, no!

أَسأَلُ اللَهَ مَن بَداكِ بِصَرمٍ

أَسأَلُ اللَهَ مَن بَداكِ بِصَرمٍ

أَن يَرى في الحَياةِ ما عاشَ ذُلّا

أَن يَرى في الحَياةِ ما عاشَ ذُلّا

I ask God that whoever first severed ties with you

I ask Allah, whoever harmed you with injury,

may see humiliation in life as long as he lives.

to see humiliation in life.

فَاِتَّقي اللَهَ وَاِقبَلي العُذرَ مِنّي

فَاِتَّقي اللَهَ وَاِقبَلي العُذرَ مِنّي

وَتَجافَي عَن بَعضِ ما كانَ زَلّا

وَتَجافَي عَن بَعضِ ما كانَ زَلّا

So fear God, and accept my excuse,

So fear Allah, and accept my excuse,

and overlook some of what was done amiss.

and overlook some of what was a misstep.

لَم أُرَحِّب بِأَن سَخِطتِ وَلَكِن

لَم أُرَحِّب بِأَن سَخِطتِ وَلَكِن

مَرحَباً إِن رَضيتِ عَنّا وَأَهلا

مَرحَباً إِن رَضيتِ عَنّا وَأَهلا

I did not welcome your displeasure, but

I do not welcome that you were angry, but

welcome, if you are pleased with us—a warm welcome!

welcome if you are pleased with me. Hello!

إِنَّ وَجهاً أَبصَرتُهُ لَيلَةَ البَد

إِنَّ وَجهاً أَبصَرتُهُ لَيلَةَ البَد

رِ عَلَيهِ اِبتَنى الجَمالُ وَحَلّا

رِ عَلَيهِ اِبتَنى الجَمالُ وَحَلّا

Indeed, a face I beheld on the night of the full

A face I saw on the night of the full moon,

moon—beauty built its home upon it and dwelt there.

on it beauty and adornment were built.

وَجهُكِ الوَجهُ لَو بِهِ تَسأَلُ المُز

وَجهُكِ الوَجهُ لَو بِهِ تَسأَلُ المُز

نَ مِنَ الحُسنِ وَالجَمالِ اِستَهَلّا

نَ مِنَ الحُسنِ وَالجَمالِ اِستَهَلّا

Your face is the face: if by it one entreated the rain

Your face is the face - if with it you asked increase

clouds, they would pour for its beauty and loveliness.

of beauty and charm, it would begin.

وَأَسيلٍ مِنَ الوُجوهِ نَضيرٌ

وَأَسيلٍ مِنَ الوُجوهِ نَضيرٌ

دَقَّ فيهِ حُسنُ الجَمالِ وَجَلّا

دَقَّ فيهِ حُسنُ الجَمالِ وَجَلّا

And a smooth, radiant face among faces—

And the most wondrous of faces, a rival

in it beauty's loveliness was subtle and sublime.

in which the beauty of charm settled and abode.

إِنَّني بِالسَلامِ مِنكِ لَراضٍ

إِنَّني بِالسَلامِ مِنكِ لَراضٍ

وَأَرى ذاكَ مِن نَوَلِكِ جَزلا

وَأَرى ذاكَ مِن نَوَلِكِ جَزلا

Indeed, I am content with a greeting from you,

I am content with greetings from you,

and I count that a generous gift from you.

and I see that from your gift as plenty.

لا أَخونُ الخَليلَ ما عُشتُ حَتّى

لا أَخونُ الخَليلَ ما عُشتُ حَتّى

يُنقَلَ البَحرُ بِالغَرابيلِ نَقلا

يُنقَلَ البَحرُ بِالغَرابيلِ نَقلا

I shall not betray my beloved as long as I live, until

I do not betray the friend as long as I live

the sea is wholly carried away in sieves.

until the sea is ladled with sieves.

ثُمَّ قالَت لا تُعلِمَنَّ بِسِرّي

ثُمَّ قالَت لا تُعلِمَنَّ بِسِرّي

يا اِبنَ عَمّي أَقسَمتُ قُلتُ أَجَل لا

يا اِبنَ عَمّي أَقسَمتُ قُلتُ أَجَل لا

Then she said, 'Never reveal my secret,

Then she said: Do not inform anyone of my secret,

O my cousin, I adjure you!' I said, 'Yes—I will not.'

cousin I swore. I said: Yes, I will not.

إِن أَكُن قَد سَأَيتُكُم فَلَكِ العُت

إِن أَكُن قَد سَأَيتُكُم فَلَكِ العُت

بى وَهانَ الَّذي سَأَلتُ وَقَلّا

بى وَهانَ الَّذي سَأَلتُ وَقَلّا

If I have indeed wronged you, you shall have

If I have suspected you, then the fault is mine,

amends, and what I asked was trifling and small.

and disgrace is his who asked and few.

مَن أَرادَ الفُجورَ في الوُدِّ مِنّا

مَن أَرادَ الفُجورَ في الوُدِّ مِنّا

ضَرَبَ اللَهُ في ذِراعَيهِ غُلّا

ضَرَبَ اللَهُ في ذِراعَيهِ غُلّا

Whoever among us intends treachery in love,

Whoever desires immorality in love between us

may God place a shackle on his arms.

may Allah paralyze his arms.

حَدِّثِني فَدَتكِ نَفسي وَأَهلي

حَدِّثِني فَدَتكِ نَفسي وَأَهلي

أَتُحِبّينَني كَحُبِّكِ عَذلا

أَتُحِبّينَني كَحُبِّكِ عَذلا

Tell me—may my soul and family ransom you—

Tell me, your life and family ransom me,

do you love me as much as you love reproach?

do you love me like your love for reproach?

إِنَّ في الصَرمِ راحَةً مِن عَناءٍ

إِنَّ في الصَرمِ راحَةً مِن عَناءٍ

وَنَعَم في الجَوابِ أَحسَنُ مِن لا

وَنَعَم في الجَوابِ أَحسَنُ مِن لا

Indeed, in parting there is relief from anguish,

In endurance is relief from hardship,

and 'yes' in reply is better than 'no.'

and goodness in the answer better than no.