جَوانحُ لِلغَرامِ بِها وُشومُ

جَوانحُ لِلغَرامِ بِها وُشومُ

وَأَجفانٌ عَلى أَرَقٍ تَحومُ

وَأَجفانٌ عَلى أَرَقٍ تَحومُ

My heart bears passion’s tattoo-marks,

Ribs bearing the tattoo marks of passion,

and eyelids hover over sleeplessness.

and eyelids hovering over sleeplessness.

لَئِنْ رَقَدَتْ ظَلومُ وأَسهَرَتني

لَئِنْ رَقَدَتْ ظَلومُ وأَسهَرَتني

فَذلكَ دأَبُها وَهْيَ الظَّلومُ

فَذلكَ دأَبُها وَهْيَ الظَّلومُ

Though those eyes slept and left me wakeful,

If Ẓalūm has slept and kept me awake,

that is their wont—for cruel they are.

then that is her wont, for she is the cruel one.

وَلَو سأَلَتْ نُجومَ اللَّيلِ عَنّي

وَلَو سأَلَتْ نُجومَ اللَّيلِ عَنّي

لَخَبَّرها بِما أَلقَى النُّجومُ

لَخَبَّرها بِما أَلقَى النُّجومُ

Had she asked the stars of night about me,

And if she asked the stars of night about me,

the stars would tell her what I endure.

the stars would tell her what I endure.

أُراعيها وَلي نَظَرٌ كَليلٌ

أُراعيها وَلي نَظَرٌ كَليلٌ

يُكَفكِفُ غَربَهُ الدَّمعُ السَّجومُ

يُكَفكِفُ غَربَهُ الدَّمعُ السَّجومُ

I watch them, though my gaze is dim,

I watch them with a weary gaze,

its keenness blunted by streaming tears.

its sharpness blunted by streaming tears.

فَرِقِّي يا ظَلومُ بِمُستَهامٍ

فَرِقِّي يا ظَلومُ بِمُستَهامٍ

تُراوِحُ بَينَ جَنبَيهِ الهُمومُ

تُراوِحُ بَينَ جَنبَيهِ الهُمومُ

So, cruel one, be gentle with a man distraught by love,

So have pity, O Ẓalūm, on a lovesick man,

while cares shuttle between his two sides.

between whose sides cares come and go.