وَلَقَدْ وَقَفْتُ ضَحًى بِبابِكَ قَاضِياً

وَلَقَدْ وَقَفْتُ ضَحًى بِبابِكَ قَاضِياً

بِاللَّثْمِ لِلْعَتَبَاتِ بَعْضَ الوَاجِبِ

بِاللَّثْمِ لِلْعَتَبَاتِ بَعْضَ الوَاجِبِ

Indeed, one forenoon I stood at your door, discharging

And indeed I stood at your door at midmorning, fulfilling

with kisses upon its thresholds some of what was due.

By kissing the thresholds, part of the duty owed.

وَأَتَيْتُ أَطْلُب زَوْرَةً أَحْظَى بِهَا

وَأَتَيْتُ أَطْلُب زَوْرَةً أَحْظَى بِهَا

فَرَدَدتَ يا عَيْني هُنَاكَ بِحَاجِبِ

فَرَدَدتَ يا عَيْني هُنَاكَ بِحَاجِبِ

I came seeking a visit, hoping thereby to win favor;

And I came seeking a visit I might be favored with,

but there, O apple of my eye, you turned me away—with an eyebrow for chamberlain.

But you turned me away there, O my eye, with a doorkeeper.