ما ودَّع الصبُّ المشوقُ وما قلى

ما ودَّع الصبُّ المشوقُ وما قلى

رشأً أغنَّ من السوانح أكحلا

رشأً أغنَّ من السوانح أكحلا

The lovesick, yearning lover has neither abandoned nor hated

The ardent lover did not bid farewell, nor did he stop sending

a dark-eyed, sweetly nasal-voiced fawn among the auspiciously passing gazelles.

Flashes more melodious than the nightingales' warbling.

يرنو فيُرْسِلُ من سهامِ لِحاظِه

يرنو فيُرْسِلُ من سهامِ لِحاظِه

سَهماً يصادف من مَشوقٍ مقتلا

سَهماً يصادف من مَشوقٍ مقتلا

He gazes, then looses from the arrows of his glances

He takes aim, launching arrows from his quiver,

an arrow that strikes a yearning lover's vital spot.

An arrow that strikes to the heart of the one he yearns for.

خُذ ما تراه هم المتيَّمِ في الهوى

خُذ ما تراه هم المتيَّمِ في الهوى

خَبَرُ الصبابة مجملاً ومفصّلا

خَبَرُ الصبابة مجملاً ومفصّلا

Take what you see: the anguish of one enthralled by love

Take from the love-struck what you see as the affliction of love -

is the tale of passionate longing, in brief and in detail.

Tales of passion, in summary or detail.

ما آمن الواشي بآيةِ صَبْوَتي

ما آمن الواشي بآيةِ صَبْوَتي

حتَّى رأى دمعي بحبّك مرسلا

حتَّى رأى دمعي بحبّك مرسلا

The talebearer did not believe in the sign of my passion

My critic did not believe the signs of my passion

until he saw my tears streaming for love of you.

Until he saw tears for you streaming from my eyes.

لا زال يكثر بالملامة عاذلي

لا زال يكثر بالملامة عاذلي

إنَّ المتيَّمَ بالمرمَة مُبتلى

إنَّ المتيَّمَ بالمرمَة مُبتلى

My reproacher never ceases to heap reproaches upon me;

He still persists in blaming and reproaching me -

indeed, the love-enthralled is afflicted with [censure].

For the lover is tried by affliction and disgrace.