قَد كانَ يَعلَمُ مِن طَرفي بِها طُرِفاً

قَد كانَ يَعلَمُ مِن طَرفي بِها طُرِفاً

إِذ لَيسَ يَخفى عَلَيهِ مِنهُ تَزويجُ

إِذ لَيسَ يَخفى عَلَيهِ مِنهُ تَزويجُ

He had already learned something from my glances at her,

He knew through me of her a glance,

Since no exchange of glances escaped him.

For nothing of their marriage was hidden from him.

فَقَلبُهُ مِن حَذارى واجِفٌ وَلِهٌ

فَقَلبُهُ مِن حَذارى واجِفٌ وَلِهٌ

دوني عَلى بَيتِها سِترٌ وَتَحريجُ

دوني عَلى بَيتِها سِترٌ وَتَحريجُ

So his heart trembles, distraught with fear of me;

So his heart was apprehensive and restless,

Her house is screened off and forbidden to me.

With me a veil and barrier at her home.

ما أَنسَ لا أَنسَ ما عُمِّرتُ قَولَتَها

ما أَنسَ لا أَنسَ ما عُمِّرتُ قَولَتَها

وَالنَقضُ بِالرَحلِ وَالأَنساعِ مَحدوجُ

وَالنَقضُ بِالرَحلِ وَالأَنساعِ مَحدوجُ

Whatever I forget, I will never, as long as I live, forget her words,

I will not forget – no, I will not forget – her abode as long as I live,

While the travel-worn camel was fitted with saddle and girths:

Though the camel litters and howdahs depart.

عَرِّج عَلَينا جَزاكَ اللَهُ مَغفِرَةً

عَرِّج عَلَينا جَزاكَ اللَهُ مَغفِرَةً

فَقَد تُرى وَقَليلٌ مِنكَ تَعريجُ

فَقَد تُرى وَقَليلٌ مِنكَ تَعريجُ

Turn aside to visit us—may God reward you with forgiveness!

Stop by us, may God reward you with forgiveness,

For you are seen at times, but your visits are few.

For even a little visit from you is precious.

فَالعَيشُ يَسمُجُ فينا حينَ تَهجُرُنا

فَالعَيشُ يَسمُجُ فينا حينَ تَهجُرُنا

وَحينَ تَزدارُنا ما فيهِ تَسميجُ

وَحينَ تَزدارُنا ما فيهِ تَسميجُ

For life grows ugly for us when you forsake us,

Life becomes dreary when you shun us,

And when you visit us, nothing mars it.

And joyless when you spurn us.

فَقُلتُ حُبّيكِ صِرفٌ لا مِزاجَ لَهُ

فَقُلتُ حُبّيكِ صِرفٌ لا مِزاجَ لَهُ

عِندي وَسائِرُ حُبِّ الناسِ مَمزوجُ

عِندي وَسائِرُ حُبِّ الناسِ مَمزوجُ

So I said: My love for you is pure, with no admixture

I said: “My love for you is pure, it has no other ingredient,

In my keeping, while all other people's love is blended.

While other people's love is mixed.”

وَدونَ سِرِّكِ أَقفالٌ مُقَفَّلَةٌ

وَدونَ سِرِّكِ أَقفالٌ مُقَفَّلَةٌ

وَحاجِزٌ مِن رِتاجِ المالِ مَرتوجُ

وَحاجِزٌ مِن رِتاجِ المالِ مَرتوجُ

And your secret is guarded by securely fastened locks,

And your secret is locked behind bolted doors

And a bolted barrier fashioned from wealth's gate.

And blocked by accumulated wealth’s barricades.

أَمّا فُؤادي فَعِندَ اللَهِ حِسبَتُهُ

أَمّا فُؤادي فَعِندَ اللَهِ حِسبَتُهُ

فَقَد تَقَسَّمَهُ الغُرُّ المَباهيجُ

فَقَد تَقَسَّمَهُ الغُرُّ المَباهيجُ

As for my heart, its recompense rests with God,

As for my heart, God alone is its protector,

For the radiant, enchanting ones have divided it among themselves—

For fickle Fortune has seized and shredded it.

الغانِياتُ اللَواتي قَد رُزِقنَ غِنىً

الغانِياتُ اللَواتي قَد رُزِقنَ غِنىً

عَنّا وَنَحنُ إِلَيهِنَّ المَحاويجُ

عَنّا وَنَحنُ إِلَيهِنَّ المَحاويجُ

The beauties who have been granted independence

Those singing girls endowed with wealth

From us, while we are the ones in need of them.

Have no need for us, yet we covet them.