وهبت قوايَ للحَدَق الضِّعافِ

وهبت قوايَ للحَدَق الضِّعافِ

وإن كانَت بسفكِ دَمي تُكَافي

وإن كانَت بسفكِ دَمي تُكَافي

I gave my strength to those languid eyes,

I gave my strength to languid eyes,

I have given my strength to the weak of vision

I surrendered my strength to those languid eyes,

though she requited me by shedding my blood.

Though they repay me by shedding my blood.

Even if compensated by shedding my blood

Even if they reward me by shedding my blood.

فكانت الضّعف قُوَّتها عَلينا

فكانت الضّعف قُوَّتها عَلينا

وهل ذا الطَّبعُ إِلّا في السُّلافِ

وهل ذا الطَّبعُ إِلّا في السُّلافِ

Thus weakness became their strength against us—

So weakness was their strength over us;

So weakness became their strength over us

For their weakness became a power over us;

and is such a nature found except in wine?

And is such a nature found anywhere but in choice wine?

Isn't this the nature of the docile?

And is such a nature found anywhere but in wine?

شُغِلنا عن مُساعدةِ اللواحِي

شُغِلنا عن مُساعدةِ اللواحِي

بشاغِلَةِ الحجيجِ عن الطَّوافِ

بشاغِلَةِ الحجيجِ عن الطَّوافِ

We were kept from helping the reproachers

We were distracted from siding with the reproaching women

We were busy helping the exhausted

We were diverted from heeding the critics

by one who distracts pilgrims from circling the Kaaba.

By her who distracts the pilgrims from circumambulation.

With the distractions of the pilgrims from circumambulation

By a distraction like that which turns pilgrims from their rounds.

خضبتُ الشّيبَ أَخْدَعُها فقالت

خضبتُ الشّيبَ أَخْدَعُها فقالت

تَشَبَّهَتِ الحمامَةُ بالغُدَافِ

تَشَبَّهَتِ الحمامَةُ بالغُدَافِ

I dyed my gray hair to deceive her, and she said,

I dyed my gray hair to deceive her, and she said:

I dyed my grey hair to fool her, so she said

I dyed my grey hair to deceive her, so she said:

“The dove has made itself resemble the raven.”

“The dove has made itself look like a raven.”

The pigeon resembled the predator

"The dove has imitated the raven."

فقلت صدقت لم أنكرت منّي

فقلت صدقت لم أنكرت منّي

وأنت عفيفةٌ بنت العفافِ

وأنت عفيفةٌ بنت العفافِ

I said, “You speak truly—but why fault me,

Then I said, “You are right; why did you object to this in me,

So I said, you speak the truth, I do not deny

I replied, "You speak the truth, but why do you reject me,"

when you are chaste, the daughter of chastity?”

When you are chaste, a daughter of chastity?”

And you are chaste, daughter of chastity

"When you are chaste, the daughter of chastity?"

فقالتْ بيننا في الشَّيْبِ خُلْفٌ

فقالتْ بيننا في الشَّيْبِ خُلْفٌ

ويُفتِينا بِمسألةِ الخلافِ

ويُفتِينا بِمسألةِ الخلافِ

She said, “Between us there is disagreement over gray hair,

Then she said, “We disagree about gray hair,

She said between us there is disagreement in greyness

She said, "Between us lies a dispute regarding grey hair,"

and gray hair shall rule for us on this question of disagreement.”

And a ruling is given us on the disputed question.”

And the issue of disagreement issues fatwas about us

"And that which gives judgment on this matter of contention..."

ولمّا أينعتْ رُمّانتاها

ولمّا أينعتْ رُمّانتاها

ونادَى الوَصْلُ حيَّ على القِطَافِ

ونادَى الوَصْلُ حيَّ على القِطَافِ

And when her two pomegranates ripened,

And when her two pomegranates ripened,

And when her pomegranates ripened

And when her two pomegranates had ripened,

and union called, “Come away to the harvest!”

And union called, “Come to the harvest!”

And the union called, “Welcome to the harvest!”

And Union called out: "Hasten to the harvest!"

تَأَذَّتْ فيهما بفَمِي فقالتْ

تَأَذَّتْ فيهما بفَمِي فقالتْ

شمائلُ عاشِقٍ وفعال جافِ

شمائلُ عاشِقٍ وفعال جافِ

she was hurt in both by my mouth, and said,

She felt pain in them both from my mouth, and said:

She was bothered by my mouth on them, so she said

She felt pain in them from my mouth, and exclaimed:

“The ways of a lover, but the deeds of one who shuns.”

“A lover’s manners, but a boor’s deeds!”

“These are the features of a passionate and rude lover.”

"The traits of a lover, but the actions of a brute!"