طرقت بعد هجعةٍ أم ورقا

طرقت بعد هجعةٍ أم ورقا

خوف واشٍ وحاسدٍ يتوقى

خوف واشٍ وحاسدٍ يتوقى

Umm Warqā came by night after a spell of sleep,

I knocked after a deep sleep, a worried and jealous mother who fears

Fearing a tale-bearer and an envier one must guard against.

Then I opened the seal of reproach and said

ثم فضت ختم العتاب وقلت

ثم فضت ختم العتاب وقلت

أنت لو كنت عاشقاً مت عشقاً

أنت لو كنت عاشقاً مت عشقاً

Then, breaking the seal of reproach, you said:

If you were a lover who died of love

Had you been a lover, you would have died of love,

Like those who died from the tribes of Udhra, every

مثل ما مات من بني عذرة كل

مثل ما مات من بني عذرة كل

ل صحيح الهوى فغودر ملقى

ل صحيح الهوى فغودر ملقى

Just as among Banū ʿUdhra died every

One whose love was sincere, so he was slain

True lover, left lying lifeless.

Love killed Qais of Bani Amir, and made ill all creation

قتل الحب قيس لبني ومجنو

قتل الحب قيس لبني ومجنو

ن بني عامر وأمرض خلقا

ن بني عامر وأمرض خلقا

Love killed Qays of Lubnā and Majnūn

And challenged much, and Jamil

Of Banū ʿĀmir, and made a multitude ill.

And he met from it every slain one

وتحدى كثيراً وجميلاً

وتحدى كثيراً وجميلاً

ولقى منه عروة كل ملقى

ولقى منه عروة كل ملقى

And it challenged Kuthayyir and Jamīl,

I said, I have witnesses to your love

And ʿUrwa suffered every ordeal at its hands.

Tears that flow, not ceasing

قلت عندي على هواك شهود

قلت عندي على هواك شهود

أدمع مستهلة ليس ترقا

أدمع مستهلة ليس ترقا

I said: I have witnesses to my love for you—

And ask my ribs about sighs

Streaming tears that never cease.

That meet from their heat, and slain

وسلي عن أضالعي زفرات

وسلي عن أضالعي زفرات

ما تلاقي من حرهن وألقى

ما تلاقي من حرهن وألقى

And ask the sighs about my ribs:

You have wasted most of my heart with separation

What they and I endure from their heat.

So guard my chastity with union, what remains

أنت ضيعت جل قلبي بالهج

أنت ضيعت جل قلبي بالهج

ر فصوني بالوصل ما قد تبقى

ر فصوني بالوصل ما قد تبقى

You have wasted most of my heart through abandonment;

So preserve through union what still remains.