Overcoming Desire

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الْأَصْنَامُ لَذَّاتِ الدُّنْيَا كَسَوْدَاءِ

The idols are the pleasures of this world, like a dark-skinned woman.

وَقَدْ غَلَبَتْ عَلَيْكَ

And they have dominated over you.

وَالْحُورُ الْعِينِ يَعْجَبْنَ مِن سُوءِ اخْتِيَارِكَ عَلَيْهِنَّ

And the wide-eyed maidens wonder at your poor choice over them.

غَيْرَ أَنَّ زَوْبَعَةَ الْهَوَى إِذَا ثَارَتْ

Except that when the storm of desire rages,

سَفَتْ فِي عَيْنِ الْبَصِيرَةِ فَخَفِيَتِ الْجَادَّةُ

It blows dust into the eye of insight, and the path becomes obscured.

سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ

Glory be to Allah.

تَزَيَّنَتِ الْجَنَّةُ لِلْخُطَّابِ

Paradise has adorned itself for the suitors.

فَجِدُّوا فِي تَحْصِيلِ الْمَهْرِ

So strive hard in attaining the dowry.

وَتَعَرَّفَ رَبُّ الْعِزَّةِ إِلَى الْمُحِبِّينَ بِأَسْمَائِهِ وَصِفَاتِهِ

And the Lord of Majesty introduced Himself to the lovers through His names and attributes.

فَعَمِلُوا عَلَى اللِّقَاءِ

So they worked towards the meeting.

وَأَنْتَ مَشْغُولٌ بِالْجِيَفِ

Yet you are occupied with carcasses.

لَا كَانَ مَنْ لِسِوَاكَ مِنْهُ قَلْبُهُ

May there never be one whose heart is for anyone other than You...

وَلَكَ اللِّسَانُ مَعَ الْوِدَادِ الْكَاذِبِ

And yours is only a tongue with false affection.