يا وَيحَ مَعشوقَينِ ماتا وَلَم

يا وَيحَ مَعشوقَينِ ماتا وَلَم

يُداوِيا عِشقَهُما بِاِجتِماع

يُداوِيا عِشقَهُما بِاِجتِماع

Alas for two beloveds who died and did not

O woe to the lovers who died without

heal their love by meeting.

Healing their love by being together

حَتّى مَتى نَحنُ عَلى رِقبَةٍ

حَتّى مَتى نَحنُ عَلى رِقبَةٍ

لا نَلتَقي خَشيَةَ واشٍ وَساع

لا نَلتَقي خَشيَةَ واشٍ وَساع

How long must we remain on guard,

How long will we be under surveillance

not meeting for fear of a slanderer and a talebearer?

Afraid to meet, fearing spies all around

فَإِن تَلاقَينا فَفي خُفيَةٍ

فَإِن تَلاقَينا فَفي خُفيَةٍ

لا نَشتَفي مِن نَظَرٍ وَاِستِماع

لا نَشتَفي مِن نَظَرٍ وَاِستِماع

So if we meet, it is in secret;

If we meet, it’s in secret

we cannot have our fill of gazing and listening.

We cannot feast our eyes or talk freely

وَالحُبُّ لا تَكمُلُ لَذّاتُهُ

وَالحُبُّ لا تَكمُلُ لَذّاتُهُ

لِأَهلِهِ إِلّا بِكَشفِ القِناع

لِأَهلِهِ إِلّا بِكَشفِ القِناع

And love's pleasures are not complete

Love’s sweetness is not complete

for its devotees except by lifting the veil.

For its people unless masks are cast off

وَيلي عَلى الخالِ عَلى خَدِّها ال

وَيلي عَلى الخالِ عَلى خَدِّها ال

أَيسَرِ وَالخالِ الَّذي بِالذِراع

أَيسَرِ وَالخالِ الَّذي بِالذِراع

Woe is me for the beauty mark on her cheek—the

Woe to me for the mole on her cheek

left one—and the beauty mark on her arm.

And the one on her arm, so easy to reach