حَييتُها بقرنفلٍ ممطورِ

حَييتُها بقرنفلٍ ممطورِ

في باقةٍ مَربوطةٍ بحريرِ

في باقةٍ مَربوطةٍ بحريرِ

I greeted her with rain-sprinkled carnations,

I greeted her with a fragrant carnation

In a bouquet tied with silk.

In a bouquet tied with silk

فتناولتهُ بأنملٍ كانت لهُ

فتناولتهُ بأنملٍ كانت لهُ

ماءً وقلبي فيهِ حَرُّ سعير

ماءً وقلبي فيهِ حَرُّ سعير

Then she took it with fingertips that were its

She took it with fingers that for it

Water, while my heart held the heat of a blazing fire.

Were water, while in it my heart blazed

ما كان أسعَدَهُ وأتعسني بها

ما كان أسعَدَهُ وأتعسني بها

هل حظُّ ما يذوي كحظِّ نضير

هل حظُّ ما يذوي كحظِّ نضير

How happy it was, and how wretched I was because of her!

How happy it made her, how wretched me!

Is the lot of what withers like that of one in bloom?

Does the fate of one who melts equal that of another?

ورَنت فقلتُ عِمي صباحاً وانعمي

ورَنت فقلتُ عِمي صباحاً وانعمي

فلقد طلعتِ بوجهِ ذاتِ النور

فلقد طلعتِ بوجهِ ذاتِ النور

And she gazed, so I said, “Good morning, and be happy,

She bloomed, so I said “Good morning, my delight

For you have risen with the face of the radiant one.”

You have risen with the face of the luminous one.”

فتمايلت دلّاً وقالت يا فتى

فتمايلت دلّاً وقالت يا فتى

حتَّامَ ترقُبني وراءَ ستور

حتَّامَ ترقُبني وراءَ ستور

Then she swayed coquettishly and said, “O young man,

She swayed gracefully and said “O youth

How long will you watch me from behind curtains?”

You watch me from behind a screen.”

وتبسَّمت فحسبتُ زهري ثغرَها

وتبسَّمت فحسبتُ زهري ثغرَها

وتنفّست فشمَمتُ عرفَ بخور

وتنفّست فشمَمتُ عرفَ بخور

And she smiled, so I thought my flowers were her mouth;

And she smiled, so I thought the rose of her mouth

And she breathed, so I smelled the scent of incense.

Breathed, and I smelled the scent of incense.

حتى إذا وضعت أزاهرَ باقتي

حتى إذا وضعت أزاهرَ باقتي

في صَدرها وتلفَّتَت كغرير

في صَدرها وتلفَّتَت كغرير

At last, when she placed the blossoms of my bouquet

Until, when she placed the flowers of my bouquet

In her bosom, and glanced about like a guileless youth,

Against her breast, and it rustled like a stream,

أبصَرتُ زهراً فوقَ زهرٍ ناضرٍ

أبصَرتُ زهراً فوقَ زهرٍ ناضرٍ

ونشقتُ عطراً فاحَ بين عطور

ونشقتُ عطراً فاحَ بين عطور

I saw blossoms upon fresh blossoms,

I saw a blossom atop blossoms, fresh

And I inhaled a fragrance that wafted among fragrances.

And I inhaled a fragrance diffusing scents.

ورَمقتُها وجبينُها نسرينَةٌ

ورَمقتُها وجبينُها نسرينَةٌ

فرأيتُ فوقَ الخدِّ وردةَ جور

فرأيتُ فوقَ الخدِّ وردةَ جور

And I gazed at her, her brow an eglantine blossom,

And I glanced at her—her forehead was delicate—

Then I saw upon her cheek a rose of Jur.

And I saw a rose above her cheek.

نشقت أريج قرنفلي متنوّعاً

نشقت أريج قرنفلي متنوّعاً

ونشقتُ ريّا شَعرها المضفور

ونشقتُ ريّا شَعرها المضفور

She inhaled the varied fragrance of my carnations,

It released the varied aromas of my carnation

And I inhaled the fragrance of her braided hair.

And the braided musk of her hair.

في الديرِ كان لقاؤنا ومجيئُنا

في الديرِ كان لقاؤنا ومجيئُنا

لسماعِ قدّاسٍ هناكَ كبير

لسماعِ قدّاسٍ هناكَ كبير

We met in the monastery, where we had come

Our meeting and coming were in a convent

To hear a grand Mass there.

To hear an important mass held there.

فدَرى بنا قسٌّ وجاءَ يقولُ لي

فدَرى بنا قسٌّ وجاءَ يقولُ لي

لا تعترف ما الذَّنبُ بالمغفور

لا تعترف ما الذَّنبُ بالمغفور

Then a priest learned of us and came, saying to me,

A priest saw us and said “Tell me,

“Do not confess; the sin is unforgivable.”

Why confess what is forgiven?”

فأجَبتُهُ لو كان عندكَ مثلها

فأجَبتُهُ لو كان عندكَ مثلها

بين الدُّمى لاخترت عيشَ ديور

بين الدُّمى لاخترت عيشَ ديور

So I answered him, “If you had one like her

I answered “If you had one like her

Among the statues, I would choose life in monasteries.

Among the lifeless, you'd choose the life of a monk.”

وإذا سمعتُ حديثها لم اكترث

وإذا سمعتُ حديثها لم اكترث

لتلاوةِ الإنجيلِ والمزمور

لتلاوةِ الإنجيلِ والمزمور

And whenever I heard her speak, I paid no heed

When I hear her speak I care not

To the recitation of the Gospel and the psalm.”

For reciting the Bible or Psalms.