وظَبْي دَعَتْني للحروب لِحاظُهُ

وظَبْي دَعَتْني للحروب لِحاظُهُ

وهَيهات منْ تلكَ اللِّحاظ خَلاصُ

وهَيهات منْ تلكَ اللِّحاظ خَلاصُ

And my gazelle—his glances summoned me to war;

And a gazelle—his glances summoned me to war;

far, far beyond me was escape from those glances.

and escape from those glances is far beyond reach!

تصدَّى لحربِ المستهام وما له

تصدَّى لحربِ المستهام وما له

سوى اللَّحظ سهمٌ والنقاب دلاصُ

سوى اللَّحظ سهمٌ والنقاب دلاصُ

He came forth to wage war on one maddened by love,

He stood forth to fight the love-stricken, and he had no

with only his glance for an arrow, his veil for a supple coat of mail.

arrow but his glance; his veil was gleaming mail.

فلمَّا أجَلْتُ الطَّرف أدْمَيْتُ خَدَّه

فلمَّا أجَلْتُ الطَّرف أدْمَيْتُ خَدَّه

وأدمى فؤادي والجروحُ قِصاصُ

وأدمى فؤادي والجروحُ قِصاصُ

When I let my gaze roam, I made his cheek bleed;

Then, when I let my gaze roam, I bloodied his cheek;

he made my heart bleed—and wounds are requited in kind.

and he bloodied my heart—wounds are repaid in kind.