كَفاكَ ما مَرَّ عَلى راسي

كَفاكَ ما مَرَّ عَلى راسي

مِن شادِنٍ هَيَّجَ وَسواسي

مِن شادِنٍ هَيَّجَ وَسواسي

Let what has befallen me suffice you,

Enough of what has passed over my head

Let what has passed over my head suffice for you,

from a young gazelle who stirred my obsessive thoughts.

Of whisperers who stirred my doubts

From a young gazelle who stirred my dark obsessions.

أَفضَلُ ما أَبلُغُ مِن نَعتِهِ

أَفضَلُ ما أَبلُغُ مِن نَعتِهِ

تَحَدُّثي عَن قَلبِهِ القاسي

تَحَدُّثي عَن قَلبِهِ القاسي

The best I can achieve in describing him

The best I can express of her qualities

The utmost description I can reach for him,

is to speak of his hard heart.

Is to talk of her merciless heart

Is to speak of his unyielding heart.

أَغارُ أَن أَنعَتَ مِنها الَّذي

أَغارُ أَن أَنعَتَ مِنها الَّذي

يَنعَتُهُ الناسُ مِنَ الناسِ

يَنعَتُهُ الناسُ مِنَ الناسِ

I am too jealous to describe in her what

I’m jealous to attribute to her what

I am too jealous to describe in her,

people describe in other people.

People attribute among people

That which people describe in other mortals.

كُلُّ أَحاديثي سِوى ذِكرُها

كُلُّ أَحاديثي سِوى ذِكرُها

مُنكَشِفٌ مِنّي لِجُلّاسي

مُنكَشِفٌ مِنّي لِجُلّاسي

All my talk, except the mention of her,

All my talk but mentioning her

All my tales, save for the mention of her,

is laid bare by me to my companions.

Is uncovered by me to spies

Are laid bare before my seated companions.

لا حَبَّذا الشُركَةُ في حُبِّها

لا حَبَّذا الشُركَةُ في حُبِّها

وَحَبَّذا الشُركَةُ في الكاسِ

وَحَبَّذا الشُركَةُ في الكاسِ

How unwelcome is sharing in love for her,

Partnership is not good in loving her

How unwelcome is sharing in her love,

and how welcome is sharing the cup!

And partnership is not good in the cup

Yet how welcome is sharing in the wine cup.