قَمَرٌ بِدَيْرِ الموصِلِ الأَعْلى

قَمَرٌ بِدَيْرِ الموصِلِ الأَعْلى

أَنا عَبْدُهُ وهَواهُ لي مَوْلى

أَنا عَبْدُهُ وهَواهُ لي مَوْلى

A moon at the Upper Monastery of Mosul;

A moon in the Upper Monastery of Mosul

I am his slave, and love for him is my master.

I am his servant, and he is my master

لَثَمَ الصَّليبَ فَقُلْتُ مِنْ حَسَدٍ

لَثَمَ الصَّليبَ فَقُلْتُ مِنْ حَسَدٍ

قُبَلُ الحَبيب فَمي بِها أَوْلى

قُبَلُ الحَبيب فَمي بِها أَوْلى

He kissed the cross, so I said out of envy:

I kissed the cross and said out of envy

"My mouth has more right to the beloved's kisses.

The kiss of the beloved, so my mouth is more deserving

جُدْ لي بِإِحْداهُنَّ كَيْ يَحْيا بِها

جُدْ لي بِإِحْداهُنَّ كَيْ يَحْيا بِها

قَلْبي فَحَبَّتُهُ عَلى المَقْلى

قَلْبي فَحَبَّتُهُ عَلى المَقْلى

Grant me one of them, so it may give life to

Make haste to bring me one of them, so my heart may live by it

my heart, for its core lies on the frying pan."

And so I loved him more than refuge

فَاحْمَر مِنْ خَجَلٍ وَكَمْ قَطَفَتْ

فَاحْمَر مِنْ خَجَلٍ وَكَمْ قَطَفَتْ

عَيْنَي شَقائِقَ وَجْنَةٍ خَجْلى

عَيْنَي شَقائِقَ وَجْنَةٍ خَجْلى

So he blushed with shyness—and how often have

He blushed from shyness, and how many times

my eyes plucked the anemones of a bashful cheek!

My eyes have plucked shy rosebuds from the garden

وثَكِلْتُ صَبْري عِنْدَ فرْقَتِهِ

وثَكِلْتُ صَبْري عِنْدَ فرْقَتِهِ

فَعَرَفْتُ كَيْفَ تَحَرَّق الثَّكْلى

فَعَرَفْتُ كَيْفَ تَحَرَّق الثَّكْلى

And I was bereaved of my patience at parting from him;

I lost my patience at his separation

so I learned how a bereaved mother burns with grief.

And so I knew how the bereaved burn