فلو كنت شاهدنا والرقي

فلو كنت شاهدنا والرقي

ب ينظر شزراً إلينا قياما

ب ينظر شزراً إلينا قياما

So, had you witnessed us, while the watcher

If only you had seen us as we arose,

Looked askance at us as we stood,

While fate looked down on us with mocking eyes,

نفض عن العتب خاتامه

نفض عن العتب خاتامه

وقد هتكت وهتكت اللثاما

وقد هتكت وهتكت اللثاما

He would have shaken his seal off reproach,

You would have slipped the ring from off your hand,

While you and I had torn away the veil.

And torn the veil that hides you from my sight.

وعفتنا حاجز بيننا

وعفتنا حاجز بيننا

ولو تلفت مهجتانا غراما

ولو تلفت مهجتانا غراما

And our chastity is a barrier between us,

But modesty has built a wall between us,

Even if our two souls perish of passion.

Though passion fills our hearts with sad delight.

فإن لم أمت حسرة يا سعا

فإن لم أمت حسرة يا سعا

د فقد ذقت قبل الحمام الحماما

د فقد ذقت قبل الحمام الحماما

So if I have not died of anguish, O Suʿād,

And if, Saad, I die not from my desire,

I have indeed tasted death before death.

My life is but a foretaste of that flight.