وَمُهَفهَفِ الأَعطافِ يَشكو خَصرُهُ

وَمُهَفهَفِ الأَعطافِ يَشكو خَصرُهُ

مِن جَورِهِ شَكوايَ جَورَ زَماني

مِن جَورِهِ شَكوايَ جَورَ زَماني

And a slender-flanked beloved—his waist complains

With tossing ribs he complains of the tyranny

of his tyranny as I complain of the tyranny of my times.

Of my time, like my body, wasting away.

فَسَقامُ جَفنَيهِ كَسا جِسمي الضَّنى

فَسَقامُ جَفنَيهِ كَسا جِسمي الضَّنى

وَجَفاؤُهُ سَلَبَ الكَرى أَجفاني

وَجَفاؤُهُ سَلَبَ الكَرى أَجفاني

So the languor of his eyelids clothed my body in wasting sickness,

So my eyelids' sickness covers my frame with sorrow

and his coldness robbed my eyelids of sleep.

And his coldness has deprived my eyes of sleep.

وَلَهُ عَلَيَّ يَدٌ تَمَلَّكَني بِها

وَلَهُ عَلَيَّ يَدٌ تَمَلَّكَني بِها

حُبّاً وَما لي بِالسُلُوِّ يَدانِ

حُبّاً وَما لي بِالسُلُوِّ يَدانِ

And I owe him a favor, by which he has made me his

He has a hand that grabbed me with the love

in love; yet I have no power to forget.

That I have no power to resist.

لَم يُجرِ لي النَدمانُ يَوماً ذِكرَهُ

لَم يُجرِ لي النَدمانُ يَوماً ذِكرَهُ

إِلّا عَضَضتُ أَنامِلَ النَدمانِ

إِلّا عَضَضتُ أَنامِلَ النَدمانِ

Never did the drinking companion mention him to me

Never did regret mention him one day

without my biting the drinking companion's fingertips.

Without my gnawing the fingers of regret.

مُتَسَربِلٌ حُلَلَ المَحاسِنِ كُلَّها

مُتَسَربِلٌ حُلَلَ المَحاسِنِ كُلَّها

لَكِنَّهُ عارٍ مِنَ الإِحسانِ

لَكِنَّهُ عارٍ مِنَ الإِحسانِ

He is clothed in all the robes of beauty,

Clothed in beauty in its every raiment

yet he is naked of kindness.

Yet naked of all kindness.

لَو كانَ لي مالٌ لآثَرَ عِشرَتي

لَو كانَ لي مالٌ لآثَرَ عِشرَتي

لَكِن لِإِقلالي الحَبيبُ قَلاني

لَكِن لِإِقلالي الحَبيبُ قَلاني

If I had wealth, he would prefer my company,

Had I possessions, I would prefer my company with him

but because of my poverty, the beloved has spurned me.

But out of my lack of means, the loved one avoids me.