هَلّاwill you not اِرعَوَيتِyou relent فَتَرحَميthen show mercy to صَبّاa lovesick man
هَلّا اِرعَوَيتِ فَتَرحَمي صَبّا
صَديانَthirsty لَمdid not تَدَعيyou leave لَهُfor him قَلباa heart
صَديانَ لَم تَدَعي لَهُ قَلبا
Will you not relent and pity a lovesick man,
Will you not have mercy, morning breeze?
parched, whom you have left without a heart?
You left no heart for this devoted lover.
لاdo not تَحسَبيyou think حَظّاًgood fortune خَصَصتِyou singled out بِهِwith it
لا تَحسَبي حَظّاً خَصَصتِ بِهِ
رَجُلاًa man سَلَبتِyou seized فُؤادَهُhis heart غَصباby force
رَجُلاً سَلَبتِ فُؤادَهُ غَصبا
Do not think you have granted good fortune
Think not I've gained when I took by force
to a man whose heart you seized by force.
A man whose heart you had already robbed.
جَشِمَhe endured الزِيارَةَthe visit عَنout of مَوَدَّتِكُمlove for you
جَشِمَ الزِيارَةَ عَن مَوَدَّتِكُم
فَأَرادَso he wished أَنthat لاnot تَحقَديyou resent ذَنباan offense
فَأَرادَ أَن لا تَحقَدي ذَنبا
He endured the hardship of visiting out of love for you,
He shunned visiting, resenting your love,
so he wished you would hold no offense against him.
Wishing you'd bear no grudge for his sin.
وَرَجاand he hoped for مُصالَحَةًreconciliation فَكانَso he was لَكُمtoward you
وَرَجا مُصالَحَةً فَكانَ لَكُم
سِلماًpeace وَكُنتِand you were تَرَينَهُseeing him حَرباwar
سِلماً وَكُنتِ تَرَينَهُ حَربا
And he hoped for reconciliation, and to you he was
He sought peace, submitting himself to you,
peace, though you saw him as war.
Though you saw him always a foe in war.
ياO أَيُّهاyou المُصفىthe one devoting sincerely مَوَدَّتَهُhis affection
يا أَيُّها المُصفى مَوَدَّتَهُ
مَنone who لاnot يَزالُhe ceases مُسامِتاًfacing خِطباa suitor
مَن لا يَزالُ مُسامِتاً خِطبا
O you who devote your sincere affection
O you whose love is pure, blame him not
to one who is forever facing a suitor,
If he importunes you with constant plea.
لاdo not تَجعَلَنever make أَحَداًanyone عَلَيكَover you إِذاwhen
لا تَجعَلَن أَحَداً عَلَيكَ إِذا
أَحبَبتَهُyou love him وَهَوَيتَهُand desire him رَبّاa lord
أَحبَبتَهُ وَهَوَيتَهُ رَبّا
never set anyone over you, when
Let no one come between if you love one,
you love and desire him, as a lord.
Making him the lord of your soul sincere.
وَصِلِand keep ties with الحَبيبَthe beloved إِذاwhen كَلِفتَyou are enamored بِهِof him
وَصِلِ الحَبيبَ إِذا كَلِفتَ بِهِ
وَاِطوِand withhold الزِيارَةَthe visit دونَهُshort of him غِبّاon alternate days
وَاِطوِ الزِيارَةَ دونَهُ غِبّا
And keep ties with the beloved when you are enamored of him,
Visit your beloved, though busy you be,
and hold back from visiting him on alternate days.
Rather than stay from him long absentee.
فَلَذاكَfor indeed that خَيرٌbetter مِنthan مُواظَبَةٍconstant visiting
فَلَذاكَ خَيرٌ مِن مُواظَبَةٍ
لَيسَتit does not تَزيدُكَbring you more عِندَهُwith him قُرباcloseness
لَيسَت تَزيدُكَ عِندَهُ قُربا
For that is surely better than constant visiting,
For that is better than frequenting
which does not bring you closer to him.
One who gains no intimacy thereby.
لاno بَلrather يَمَلُّكَhe tires of you حينَwhen تَطلُبُهُyou seek him
لا بَل يَمَلُّكَ حينَ تَطلُبُهُ
فَيَقولُso he says هاهَHuh? وَطالَماand often لَبّىhe answered the call
فَيَقولُ هاهَ وَطالَما لَبّى
No—rather, he tires of you when you seek him,
Nay, he will soon weary if you pursue,
so he says, 'Huh?'—though so often he answered your call.
Saying, “Enough! How often have you sued!"