ما كُنت أَدري ما الغَرامُ وَما بِهِ

ما كُنت أَدري ما الغَرامُ وَما بِهِ

حَتّى رَماني الوَجد في أَعتابِه

حَتّى رَماني الوَجد في أَعتابِه

I knew not what love was, nor what it held,

I did not know what love was or what it entailed,

until yearning cast me upon its thresholds.

Until longing cast me upon its thresholds.

وَغَدَوتُ بوابا بسدة بابه

وَغَدَوتُ بوابا بسدة بابه

من بَعد قولي اِنَّني لَسَليم

من بَعد قولي اِنَّني لَسَليم

And I became a doorkeeper at the portal of its gate,

And I became a doorkeeper at the threshold of its door,

after having claimed that I was surely unscathed.

After saying, “I am surely unscathed.”