فُتِنتُ بِنَشّابِيٍّ اختارَ شُغلَهُ

فُتِنتُ بِنَشّابِيٍّ اختارَ شُغلَهُ

بِصَنعَتِهِ خَوفَ العُيونِ النَواظِرِ

بِصَنعَتِهِ خَوفَ العُيونِ النَواظِرِ

I was captivated by an arrow-maker who chose to occupy himself

I am smitten with an archer who chose his occupation,

With his craft, for fear of gazing eyes.

With his craft, he frightens onlookers’ eyes.

أَعَدَّ لِرائيهِ نَشاشيبَ مَن يُصَب

أَعَدَّ لِرائيهِ نَشاشيبَ مَن يُصَب

بِواحِدَةٍ مِنها يَرح لِلمَقابِرِ

بِواحِدَةٍ مِنها يَرح لِلمَقابِرِ

He readied arrows for those who see him; whoever is struck

He prepares for his shooter arrows that send

By one of them departs for the graves.

Anyone hit by one to their grave.

وَقَد نَشِبَت في حُبِّهِ أَنفُسُ الوَرى

وَقَد نَشِبَت في حُبِّهِ أَنفُسُ الوَرى

فَمِن مالِكٍ وَجداً وَآخر صابِرِ

فَمِن مالِكٍ وَجداً وَآخر صابِرِ

And the souls of humankind have become ensnared in love for him:

And souls throughout the land are in love with him

Some possessed of longing, and others patiently enduring.

Some patiently enduring, others lovesick.

نَظَرتُ إِلَيهِ وَهوَ يَنحَتُ أَسهُماً

نَظَرتُ إِلَيهِ وَهوَ يَنحَتُ أَسهُماً

فَخِفتُ كَأَن قَلبِي لَهُ قَلبُ طائِرِ

فَخِفتُ كَأَن قَلبِي لَهُ قَلبُ طائِرِ

I looked at him as he was carving arrows,

I looked at him as he carved arrows

So I feared, as though my heart were a bird's heart to him.

I was scared it was as if my heart was a flying bird.

وَقَد كُنتُ لا أَقوى لِسَهمِ لِحاظِهِ

وَقَد كُنتُ لا أَقوى لِسَهمِ لِحاظِهِ

فَكَيفَ لِنُشّابٍ وَسَهمِ المَحاجِرِ

فَكَيفَ لِنُشّابٍ وَسَهمِ المَحاجِرِ

And I was already unable to withstand the arrow of his glances;

And I had no strength against the piercing of his arrows’ heads

So how could I withstand arrows and the eyes' arrow?

So how could I withstand an archer and the arrows he chisels?