ياO سُؤلَdesire نَفسيmy soul إِنif أُحَكَّمI am made the judge
يا سُؤلَ نَفسي إِن أُحَكَّم
وَاختِياريand my choice إِنif أُخَيَّرI am given a choice
وَاختِياري إِن أُخَيَّر
O my soul’s desire, if I am made the judge,
And my choice, if I am allowed to choose!
كَمhow often لامَنيhe blamed me فيكَconcerning you الحَسودُthe envious man
كَم لامَني فيكَ الحَسودُ
وَفَنَّدَand censured الواشيthe slanderer فَأَكثَرthen went on at length
وَفَنَّدَ الواشي فَأَكثَر
How often the envious man has blamed me over you,
And the slanderer has censured me at length!
قالواthey said تَغَيَّرَhe changed بِالسُلُوِّthrough forgetting love
قالوا تَغَيَّرَ بِالسُلُوِّ
وَبِالمَلامَةِand through reproach قَدindeed تَعَيَّرhe was shamed
وَبِالمَلامَةِ قَد تَعَيَّر
They said, “He has changed, having ceased to love,
And has been shamed by reproach.”
وَتَوَهَّموكَand they imagined you جَنَيتَyou committed ذَنباًa sin
وَتَوَهَّموكَ جَنَيتَ ذَنباً
بِالتَجَنّيthrough false accusations لَيسَis not يُغفَرforgiven
بِالتَجَنّي لَيسَ يُغفَر
And they imagined you had committed a sin
Through false accusations—a sin not to be forgiven.
وَبِزَعمِهِمand according to them أَنthat لَيسَis not مِثليone like me
وَبِزَعمِهِم أَن لَيسَ مِثلي
فيin الرِضىbeing content بِالدونِwith what is inferior يُعذَرexcused
في الرِضى بِالدونِ يُعذَر
And, in their view, no one like me
Is excused for being content with less.
لَمdid not يَعلَمواthey know أَنَّthat الهَوىlove
لَم يَعلَموا أَنَّ الهَوى
رِقٌّbondage وَأَنَّand that الحُسنَbeauty أَحمَرred
رِقٌّ وَأَنَّ الحُسنَ أَحمَر
They did not know that love
Is bondage, and that beauty is red.
Sol 6.1