رَبَّةَ التاجِ وَالجَبينِ المُحَلّى

رَبَّةَ التاجِ وَالجَبينِ المُحَلّى

أَيّ شَرعٍ قِتالَ مِثلي أَحَلّا

أَيّ شَرعٍ قِتالَ مِثلي أَحَلّا

O lady of the crown and the adorned brow,

Queen of the crown and the adorned forehead

What law has made fighting one like me lawful?

By what law did fighting me become lawful?

بِصُدودٍ عَنِ الحَبيبِ وَهَجرِ

بِصُدودٍ عَنِ الحَبيبِ وَهَجرِ

عَبَسَ الصَبرُ عِندَهُ وَتَوَلّى

عَبَسَ الصَبرُ عِندَهُ وَتَوَلّى

Through turning away from the beloved and abandonment,

With separation from the beloved and estrangement

At which patience frowned and turned away;

Patience thereat frowned and turned away

وَجَمالٍ مُوَشَّحٍ بِجَلال

وَجَمالٍ مُوَشَّحٍ بِجَلال

وَكَمالٍ قَد صانَهُ اللَهُ جَلّ

وَكَمالٍ قَد صانَهُ اللَهُ جَلّ

And through beauty mantled in majesty,

With beauty clad in majesty

And perfection guarded by God—exalted is He.

And perfection protected by God the Sublime

همتُ لَمّا أَطَلَّ مِنكِ قَضيبٌ

همتُ لَمّا أَطَلَّ مِنكِ قَضيبٌ

في كَثيبٍ يَختالُ تيهاً وَدَلا

في كَثيبٍ يَختالُ تيهاً وَدَلا

I was love-struck when a slender branch of yours appeared,

I was tempted when a glance shot forth from you

Amid a sand dune, swaying in pride and coquetry.

In a dune wandering astray and lost

وَجُفونٍ لَو قارَعَت بِحُسامٍ

وَجُفونٍ لَو قارَعَت بِحُسامٍ

أَلفَ سَيفٍ لِقَدهِنَّ لأبلى

أَلفَ سَيفٍ لِقَدهِنَّ لأبلى

And eyelids that, were they to fight with a blade,

And eyelids that if they clashed with swords

Would wear down a thousand swords by cleaving them;

A thousand blades would be blunted and worn

وَقسّي مِنَ الحَواجِبِ راشَت

وَقسّي مِنَ الحَواجِبِ راشَت

لِقِتنالي مِن ذَلِكَ الجَفنِ نَبلا

لِقِتنالي مِن ذَلِكَ الجَفنِ نَبلا

And bows of eyebrows have fletched

And firm brows that were bent

Arrows from that eyelid to fight me.

To shoot arrows at me from that eyelid

وَبورِدٍ يَفتَرّ عَن لُؤلُؤٍ رَطبٍ

وَبورِدٍ يَفتَرّ عَن لُؤلُؤٍ رَطبٍ

حَوى سُكراً حَلا لي وَحَل

حَوى سُكراً حَلا لي وَحَل

And with a rose that smiles to reveal moist pearls,

And a fresh juicy lip that parts

It held intoxication, sweet to me and lawful.

To reveal sweet nectar that melts for me

وَضَمائي لَهُ وَيا طولَ وَجدي

وَضَمائي لَهُ وَيا طولَ وَجدي

لِمُعين أَولاهُ فَرعُكَ ظِلّا

لِمُعين أَولاهُ فَرعُكَ ظِلّا

And my thirst for it—oh, how long my yearning

And my embrace of him - oh the agony of my fervor!

For a spring upon which your tresses bestowed shade.

For your branch to shelter me was its first favor

طَودُ صَبريَ لَمّا

طَودُ صَبريَ لَمّا

صارَ دَكناً مِن حُسنِها إِذ أَظَلّ

صارَ دَكناً مِن حُسنِها إِذ أَظَلّ

The mountain of my patience, when

My patience broke down

It grew dark from her beauty as it cast its shadow.

When your beauty shadowed, as it peaked

هَل مُعينٌ مُبَلِّغٌ لِسَلامِ

هَل مُعينٌ مُبَلِّغٌ لِسَلامِ

مِن عَذيرٍ أَو في غَرامِكِ ذَلّ

مِن عَذيرٍ أَو في غَرامِكِ ذَلّ

Is there a helper to carry a greeting

Is there a messenger to convey greetings

From a defender, or one humbled in love of you?

Of excuse? Or in your love, find sorrow?

رامَ يَومَ النَوى الوَداعَ فَهالَت

رامَ يَومَ النَوى الوَداعَ فَهالَت

سُحُبُ الدَمعِ دونَ بَدرٍ تَجَلّى

سُحُبُ الدَمعِ دونَ بَدرٍ تَجَلّى

He sought farewell on parting day, then was daunted

The day we parted, hopes were dashed

By clouds of tears before a full moon shining forth.

Tears flowed, no full moon having risen

مَوقِفٌ لِلفِراقِ ما نِلتُ مِنهُ

مَوقِفٌ لِلفِراقِ ما نِلتُ مِنهُ

غَيرَ طَيفٍ قَد زارَ وَهنا وَوَلّى

غَيرَ طَيفٍ قَد زارَ وَهنا وَوَلّى

A scene of parting, from which I gained nothing

A stopping place for separation - from it I gained

Except a phantom that visited at night and departed.

Naught but an apparition that visited and fled

يا عَذولي وَلَستُ أَصغي لِعَذلِ

يا عَذولي وَلَستُ أَصغي لِعَذلِ

خَلِّني وَإِلّا

خَلِّني وَإِلّا

O my reproacher—and I do not heed reproach—

Oh you who blame me, I listen not to blame

Leave me be, or else...

Release me, else

قَد يَئِستُ المَتابَ حينَ تَبَدّت

قَد يَئِستُ المَتابَ حينَ تَبَدّت

آيَةُ الشَمسِ في المَغارِبِ تَجَلّى

آيَةُ الشَمسِ في المَغارِبِ تَجَلّى

I lost hope of repentance when there appeared

I despair of reprieve when the sun's sign appears

The sign of the sun, shining forth in the western horizons.

Rising in the west, gloriously displayed

وَرَماني النَوى إِلى يَومِ طِبِّ

وَرَماني النَوى إِلى يَومِ طِبِّ

فيهِ ثأري عَن الحَبائِبِ طَلّ

فيهِ ثأري عَن الحَبائِبِ طَلّ

And separation hurled me toward a day of healing,

Fate cast me till the day I take revenge

On which my vengeance for the beloveds came to nothing.

For lovers, by the blades drawn and unsheathed

وَيَزيدُ الغَرامُ فيهِ دَهاني

وَيَزيدُ الغَرامُ فيهِ دَهاني

مِنهُ كَربٌ لا يَسبُقُ السَيفُ عَذلا

مِنهُ كَربٌ لا يَسبُقُ السَيفُ عَذلا

And passion increases on that day; I was afflicted

Wherein my fervor increases, seducing me

By anguish from it; the sword does not outstrip reproach.

To a torment no sword can precede in wrath

فَأَنا في الهَوى شَهيدٌ وَحَسبي

فَأَنا في الهَوى شَهيدٌ وَحَسبي

رَبَّةُ التاجِ وَالحُسامِ المُحَلّى

رَبَّةُ التاجِ وَالحُسامِ المُحَلّى

So I am a martyr in love, and sufficient for me

For in love I am a martyr, and it suffices me

Is the lady of the crown and the adorned sword.

The queen of the crown and the unsheathed blade