مَن عَذيري مِن مُذنِبٍ غَضبانِ

مَن عَذيري مِن مُذنِبٍ غَضبانِ

جِئتُ أَبغي عِتابَهُ فَبَداني

جِئتُ أَبغي عِتابَهُ فَبَداني

Who will defend me against an angry wrongdoer?

Who can excuse me from an angry sinner

I came seeking to reproach him, but he reproached me first.

I came seeking his reproach, so he rebuked me

حُبُّ ذَلفاءَ داخِلٌ في فُؤادي

حُبُّ ذَلفاءَ داخِلٌ في فُؤادي

مُرتَعٍ فيهِ رَوضَةَ الأَحزانِ

مُرتَعٍ فيهِ رَوضَةَ الأَحزانِ

Love of Dhalfāʾ has entered my heart,

The love of that beloved is in my heart

grazing there in the garden of sorrows.

A pasture where lies the garden of sorrows

حَدِّثيني عَمَّن أَشاعَ حَديثاً

حَدِّثيني عَمَّن أَشاعَ حَديثاً

أَنا فيهِ وَأَنتِ مُشتَرِكانِ

أَنا فيهِ وَأَنتِ مُشتَرِكانِ

Tell me who spread a tale

Tell me of the one who spread the rumours

in which you and I are both involved.

That I am in it and you took part

فَلَعَمري إِنّي لَأَدفِنُ أَسرا

فَلَعَمري إِنّي لَأَدفِنُ أَسرا

رَكِ عِندي في حُفرَةِ الكِتمانِ

رَكِ عِندي في حُفرَةِ الكِتمانِ

For, by my life, I surely bury those secrets

By my life, I will surely bury secrets

of yours within me, in the pit of concealment.

Remain with me in the grave of concealment

لَو تَراني يا هاشِمُ بنَ سُلَيما

لَو تَراني يا هاشِمُ بنَ سُلَيما

نَ وَما بي بَكَيتَ حينَ تَراني

نَ وَما بي بَكَيتَ حينَ تَراني

If you saw me, O Hāshim son of Sulaymān,

If you could see me, O Hashim ibn Suleiman

and what ails me, you would weep when you saw me.

Crying when you see me, and I do not cry

لَيسَ لي مُسعِدٌ سِواكَ إِذا ما

لَيسَ لي مُسعِدٌ سِواكَ إِذا ما

غِبتَ إِلّا اللِسانُ وَالعَينانِ

غِبتَ إِلّا اللِسانُ وَالعَينانِ

I have no companion in grief but you; when

I have no comforter except you when

you are absent, only my tongue and my two eyes.

You are absent, except my tongue and eyes

لَو تَمَنَيتُ ما بَلغَتُ ظَلوماً

لَو تَمَنَيتُ ما بَلغَتُ ظَلوماً

قَصَّرَت عَنكِ يا ظَلومُ الأَماني

قَصَّرَت عَنكِ يا ظَلومُ الأَماني

Even if I wished, I could not attain Ẓalūm;

If I wished, I would not attain oppression

wishes fall short of you, O Ẓalūm.

Falling short of you, O oppressor of wishes

شَهِدَت لي عَينانِ لَم تَرَيا مِث

شَهِدَت لي عَينانِ لَم تَرَيا مِث

لَكِ مُذ كانَتا وَلا تَرَيانِ

لَكِ مُذ كانَتا وَلا تَرَيانِ

Two eyes bear witness for me: they have never seen anyone

My eyes testified for me, they did not see the likes of you

like you since they came to be, nor will they ever.

Since they existed, and they will not see

قَسَماً ما مَلَأَتُ عَينَيَّ مِن شَخ

قَسَماً ما مَلَأَتُ عَينَيَّ مِن شَخ

صِكِ إِلّا ذَكَرتُ حورُ الجِنانِ

صِكِ إِلّا ذَكَرتُ حورُ الجِنانِ

I swear, never have I filled my eyes with your form

I swear I have not filled my eyes with longing

without recalling the houris of Paradise.

For anyone but you, except the houri of heavens

طَلَعَت فَاِبتَدَرتُ وَجهي بِكَفّي

طَلَعَت فَاِبتَدَرتُ وَجهي بِكَفّي

حَذَراً أَن يُخطَفَ الناظِرانِ

حَذَراً أَن يُخطَفَ الناظِرانِ

She appeared, and I rushed to cover my face with my palm,

You appeared, so I shielded my face with my palms

lest my two eyes be snatched away.

Fearing that the two beholders would be snatched

كَيفَ يَبغي الرَيحانَ أَهلُ ظَلومٍ

كَيفَ يَبغي الرَيحانَ أَهلُ ظَلومٍ

وَظَلومُ الرَيحانُ لِلرَيحانِ

وَظَلومُ الرَيحانُ لِلرَيحانِ

How can Ẓalūm’s household seek sweet basil,

How can the wicked desire the sweet basil

when Ẓalūm is sweet basil to sweet basil itself?

While the oppression of basil is for the basil