خَدَعوها بِقَولِهِم حَسناءُ

خَدَعوها بِقَولِهِم حَسناءُ

وَالغَواني يَغُرُّهُنَّ الثَناءُ

وَالغَواني يَغُرُّهُنَّ الثَناءُ

They deceived her by calling her beautiful;

The flatterers deceived the lovely one

and beautiful women are beguiled by praise.

And the youths are seduced by praise

أَتُراها تَناسَت اِسمِيَ لَمّا

أَتُراها تَناسَت اِسمِيَ لَمّا

كَثُرَت في غَرامِها الأَسماءُ

كَثُرَت في غَرامِها الأَسماءُ

Do you think she pretended to forget my name when

Does she forget my name when

the names in her affections multiplied?

Many names abound in her love?

إِن رَأَتني تَميلُ عَنّي كَأَن لَم

إِن رَأَتني تَميلُ عَنّي كَأَن لَم

تَكُ بَيني وَبَينَها أَشياءُ

تَكُ بَيني وَبَينَها أَشياءُ

If she sees me, she turns away from me, as though there had not

If she sees me, she turns away as if

been anything between me and her.

Nothing was between us

نَظرَةٌ فَاِبتِسامَةٌ فَسَلامٌ

نَظرَةٌ فَاِبتِسامَةٌ فَسَلامٌ

فَكَلامٌ فَمَوعِدٌ فَلِقاءُ

فَكَلامٌ فَمَوعِدٌ فَلِقاءُ

A glance, then a smile, then a greeting;

A glance, then a smile, then a greeting

then talk, then a date, then a meeting.

Then talk, then a date, then a meeting

يَومَ كُنّا وَلا تَسَل كَيفَ كُنّا

يَومَ كُنّا وَلا تَسَل كَيفَ كُنّا

نَتَهادى مِنَ الهَوى ما نَشاءُ

نَتَهادى مِنَ الهَوى ما نَشاءُ

Back when we were—do not ask how we were—

When we had no inhibitions in our love

we exchanged whatever gifts of love we wished.

And sought what we fancied

وَعَلَينا مِنَ العَفافِ رَقيبٌ

وَعَلَينا مِنَ العَفافِ رَقيبٌ

تَعِبَت في مِراسِهِ الأَهواءُ

تَعِبَت في مِراسِهِ الأَهواءُ

And over us stood a guardian of chastity;

But we had a guardian of chastity

passions grew weary contending with him.

Who exhausted the passions

جاذَبَتني ثَوبي العصِيَّ وَقالَت

جاذَبَتني ثَوبي العصِيَّ وَقالَت

أَنتُمُ الناسُ أَيُّها الشُعَراءُ

أَنتُمُ الناسُ أَيُّها الشُعَراءُ

She tugged at my unyielding robe and said:

My stubborn self pulled at my clothes and said

You are the people, O poets!

"You poets are the people!"

فَاِتَّقوا اللَهَ في قُلوبِ العَذارى

فَاِتَّقوا اللَهَ في قُلوبِ العَذارى

فَالعَذارى قُلوبُهُنَّ هَواءُ

فَالعَذارى قُلوبُهُنَّ هَواءُ

So fear God where maidens' hearts are concerned,

"So fear God in the hearts of the maidens

for maidens' hearts are air.

For the hearts of maidens are air."

نَظرَةٌ فَاِبتِسامَةٌ فَسَلامٌ

نَظرَةٌ فَاِبتِسامَةٌ فَسَلامٌ

فَكَلامٌ فَمَوعِدٌ فَلِقاءُ

فَكَلامٌ فَمَوعِدٌ فَلِقاءُ

A glance, then a smile, then a greeting;

A glance, then a smile, then a greeting

then talk, then a date, then a meeting.

Then talk, then a date, then a meeting

فَفِراقٌ يَكونُ فيهِ دَواءٌ

فَفِراقٌ يَكونُ فيهِ دَواءٌ

أَو فِراقٌ يَكونُ مِنهُ الداءُ

أَو فِراقٌ يَكونُ مِنهُ الداءُ

Then a parting in which there is a cure,

Then separation, which brings

or a parting from which comes the illness.

Either cure or sickness