حيّيتِ يا سلمى بخوَّلَ واسلمي

حيّيتِ يا سلمى بخوَّلَ واسلمي

إن حال دونك ملُّ أبيض مخذمِ

إن حال دونك ملُّ أبيض مخذمِ

May you be greeted, Salma, at Khawwal, and remain safe,

I bid you peace, O Salma, with yearning and peace

Even if the [unclear word] of a white, keen-edged blade bars the way to you.

If a white, wrinkled veil stands between us

ما بالُ ورد حماك قد حرمتهِ

ما بالُ ورد حماك قد حرمتهِ

يومَ الوداع على العطاش الحوَّمِ

يومَ الوداع على العطاش الحوَّمِ

Why have you forbidden your sanctuary's drinking-water

Why has the rose that guards you deprived me

On the day of parting to the thirsty circling round?

On the day of parting, of the passionate, ardent one

لا ذاقت ما ذاق الكئيب ولا سرى

لا ذاقت ما ذاق الكئيب ولا سرى

بحشاكِ وجدُ المستهام المغرمِ

بحشاكِ وجدُ المستهام المغرمِ

May she never taste what the sorrowful one has tasted, nor may there course

It has not tasted what the sad one has tasted, nor delighted

Through your breast the anguish of the love-bewildered, love-stricken one.

In your love, ardor fills the enamored, infatuated one

قصدتْ جفونكِ من تخوَّنهُ الضَّنا

قصدتْ جفونكِ من تخوَّنهُ الضَّنا

ونعت طيوف هواك غير مهوّمِ

ونعت طيوف هواك غير مهوّمِ

Your eyelids took aim at one whom wasting sickness had betrayed,

It sought your eyelids, from the one whom falseness has betrayed

And the phantoms of love for you announced the death of one who was not dozing.

And described the specters of your love as not concerned

وفرت سهمَ القلب يوم سويقةٍ

وفرت سهمَ القلب يوم سويقةٍ

والنعف من رشفات تلك الأسهمِ

والنعف من رشفات تلك الأسهمِ

And they cleft the heart's share on the day at Suwayqa,

And unleashed the arrow of my heart on the day of Suwayqah

And at al-Na'f, through the sips of those arrows.

And the spear points from the sipping of those arrows

وأغرَّ لدنِ القدِّ قاسٍ قلبهُ

وأغرَّ لدنِ القدِّ قاسٍ قلبهُ

مرّ القلى والصدِّ عذبِ المبسمِ

مرّ القلى والصدِّ عذبِ المبسمِ

And a radiant one, supple of figure, hard of heart,

And an obstinate heart was tempted by the softness of the hand

Bitter in aversion and rejection, sweet of smiling mouth—

Bitter exile and blocking the sweetly smiling one

ألقاهُ مبتسماً وأبكي لوعةً

ألقاهُ مبتسماً وأبكي لوعةً

فالدرُّ بين مبدّدٍ ومنظّمِ

فالدرُّ بين مبدّدٍ ومنظّمِ

I meet him as he smiles, and I weep in burning anguish;

I meet it smiling and weep from anguish

So the pearls are some scattered, some strung.

For the pearl is between dispersed and strung

والليل في عقد الكواكب رافلٌ

والليل في عقد الكواكب رافلٌ

يزهى بعمر شبيبةٍ لم يهرمِ

يزهى بعمر شبيبةٍ لم يهرمِ

And night strides proudly in a necklace of stars,

And the night is clad in a necklace of stars

Glorying in a youthful life that has not grown old.

Shining with the youth of one not grown old

حلَّلتَ قتلي والهوى من شرعهِ

حلَّلتَ قتلي والهوى من شرعهِ

بيد الجمال يحلُّ قتل المسلمِ

بيد الجمال يحلُّ قتل المسلمِ

You have made my killing lawful; it is among love's laws

You allowed my murder while love is among its lawful

That at beauty's hand the killing of a Muslim is lawful.

By the hand of beauty, killing the Muslim is lawful

فأعجب لحقف نقا ينوء ببانةٍ

فأعجب لحقف نقا ينوء ببانةٍ

ينعتْ بشمسٍ تحت ليلٍ مظلمِ

ينعتْ بشمسٍ تحت ليلٍ مظلمِ

So marvel at a dune's curved ridge, straining beneath a bān tree,

So I wonder at the ignorance of the critic blaming

Described as a sun beneath a dark night.

One who attributes the sun under a dark night

وأتى عذار الوجنتين برقمهِ

وأتى عذار الوجنتين برقمهِ

فخطرت في ثوب الجمال المعلمِ

فخطرت في ثوب الجمال المعلمِ

And the down on both cheeks brought its tracery,

And the blenching of the two cheeks brought its number

So you strutted in beauty's patterned robe.

So it appeared on the dress of perfect beauty

وأنا الفقير من السلوِّ وبي غنى

وأنا الفقير من السلوِّ وبي غنى

للوجد فأطرب للغنيِّ المعدمِ

للوجد فأطرب للغنيِّ المعدمِ

And I am poor in solace, yet I have a wealth

While I am poor for yearning, and rich with love

Of yearning—so be moved by the penniless rich man.

For ecstasy, and I am joyous for the destitute, deprived one