ما زِلتُ أُحذَرُ هَذا العِتا

ما زِلتُ أُحذَرُ هَذا العِتا

بَ مِن قَبلِ أَن أَستحِقَّ العِتَبا

بَ مِن قَبلِ أَن أَستحِقَّ العِتَبا

I have never ceased to dread this re—

I have kept being warned of this reproach,

—proach, even before I had earned reproach.

since before I deserved reproach.

وَكُنتُ عَلى وَجلٍ مُشفِقاً

وَكُنتُ عَلى وَجلٍ مُشفِقاً

أُطيلُ البُكا وَأَعِدُّ الجَوابا

أُطيلُ البُكا وَأَعِدُّ الجَوابا

And I was anxious, full of fear,

And I was fearful and apprehensive,

prolonging my weeping and preparing my reply.

weeping at length and preparing my reply.

أَلا تَرحَمينَ فَتىً مُغرَماً

أَلا تَرحَمينَ فَتىً مُغرَماً

بِحُبِّكِ يَسقي الدُموعَ التُرابا

بِحُبِّكِ يَسقي الدُموعَ التُرابا

Will you not pity a youth, deeply in love,

Will you not pity a lovesick youth,

who, for love of you, waters the dust with tears?

who, in love with you, waters the dust with tears?

فَما خُلِقَ الحُبُّ لِلعالَمي

فَما خُلِقَ الحُبُّ لِلعالَمي

نَ إِلا شَقاءً وَإِلا عَذابا

نَ إِلا شَقاءً وَإِلا عَذابا

For love was not created for human—

For love was not created for humankind

—kind except as misery, except as torment.

except as misery, and except as torment.