ما رمت منه القرب إلا أتي

ما رمت منه القرب إلا أتي

بالصد من دون المنى واعترض

بالصد من دون المنى واعترض

Whenever I sought closeness to him, he came

I did not aim at closeness, yet I came

with rejection, blocking my hopes and barring my way.

With rejection, short of wishes, and turned aside.

وليس قصدي غير أجفانه

وليس قصدي غير أجفانه

يا من رأى الأسهم عادت غرض

يا من رأى الأسهم عادت غرض

And my aim is nothing but his eyelids—

My only aim was her eyelids,

oh, who has seen arrows become a target?

O she who saw arrows return without a target.