تَخرُجُ إِمّا سَفَرَت حاسِراً

تَخرُجُ إِمّا سَفَرَت حاسِراً

تُدِلُّ بِالحُسنِ وَلا تَنتَقِب

تُدِلُّ بِالحُسنِ وَلا تَنتَقِب

Whenever she unveils, she goes out bareheaded,

Whether you travel dressed up or down

She steps forth, and if she unveils, she walks bare,

Flaunting her beauty and not veiling her face.

Revealing your beauty without a veil

Flaunting her beauty, wearing no veil.

صَيَّرَني عَبداً لَها مُذعِناً

صَيَّرَني عَبداً لَها مُذعِناً

حُبّي لَها وَالحُبُّ شَيءٌ عَجَب

حُبّي لَها وَالحُبُّ شَيءٌ عَجَب

I was made a submissive slave to her

My love for you has made me your obedient slave

She has made me her slave, submissive and yielding,

By my love for her—and love is a wondrous thing.

My love for you is a wondrous thing

My love for her—and love is a wondrous thing.

لَو وَعَدَتني مَوعِداً صادِقاً

لَو وَعَدَتني مَوعِداً صادِقاً

أَو كاذِباً بِالجِدِّ أَو بِاللَعِب

أَو كاذِباً بِالجِدِّ أَو بِاللَعِب

If she made me a promise, true

If you made me a promise, truthful

If she were to give me a promise, be it true,

Or false, in earnest or in jest,

Or lies in jest or play

Or a lie, whether spoken in earnest or in play,

ظَنَنتُ أَنّي نِلتُ ما لَم يَنَل

ظَنَنتُ أَنّي نِلتُ ما لَم يَنَل

ذو صَبوَةٍ في العُجمِ أَو في العَرَب

ذو صَبوَةٍ في العُجمِ أَو في العَرَب

I would think I had attained what had never been attained

I'd think I attained what none attained

I would deem I had won what was never won,

By any ardent lover among non-Arabs or Arabs.

Of wisdom, neither Arab nor foreigner

By any lover, be he foreigner or Arab.