تَعرَّضَني لما خلوتُ بذكرِكُم

تَعرَّضَني لما خلوتُ بذكرِكُم

هَوىً كان قد أخفَيتُه في ضَمائِري

هَوىً كان قد أخفَيتُه في ضَمائِري

When I was alone remembering you, I was assailed

When I was alone with the memory of you

By a love I had hidden in my innermost thoughts.

A passion arose which I had hidden in my innermost thoughts

فلَم أتَعاظَمهُ وقلتُ بقيَّة

فلَم أتَعاظَمهُ وقلتُ بقيَّة

لعَهدِ التَّصابي ليسَ هذا بِضائِري

لعَهدِ التَّصابي ليسَ هذا بِضائِري

I did not deem it serious, and said, “A remnant

Yet I did not make much of it and said “This cannot be

Of the days of youthful dalliance—this will not harm me.”

For the covenant of contentment is no misfortune for me”

فأسرَرتُه حتى تكاملَ سِرُّه

فأسرَرتُه حتى تكاملَ سِرُّه

عليَّ فأَبدى دمعُ عَيني سَرائِري

عليَّ فأَبدى دمعُ عَيني سَرائِري

So I concealed it until its secret fully took hold

So I concealed it until its secret was complete

Of me; then the tears of my eye revealed my secrets.

And revealed itself through the tears my eyes did secrete

أكتِّمهُ والدَّمعُ والسُّقمُ كَشَّفا

أكتِّمهُ والدَّمعُ والسُّقمُ كَشَّفا

ومَن ذا يُباري كاشِفَينِ بساتِرِ

ومَن ذا يُباري كاشِفَينِ بساتِرِ

I keep it hidden, while tears and illness have laid it bare;

I hide it while my tears and sickness expose it

And who can match two revealers with one concealer?

And who can compete with such revealing secret-bearers?