وَلي كَبِدٌ مِن حُبِّ ظَمياءَ أَصبَحَت

وَلي كَبِدٌ مِن حُبِّ ظَمياءَ أَصبَحَت

كَذي الجُرحِ يُنكى بَعدَما رَقَأَ الدَمُ

كَذي الجُرحِ يُنكى بَعدَما رَقَأَ الدَمُ

And my liver, from love of Ẓamyāʾ, has become

My heart is wounded with love for the haughty beauty,

like one whose wound is reopened after the bleeding has ceased.

Like a wound that continues to ache after the blood has dried.

أَصابَ الهَوى قَلباً بَعيداً مِنَ الهَوى

أَصابَ الهَوى قَلباً بَعيداً مِنَ الهَوى

وَما كُلُّ مَن يَبغي السَلامَةَ يَسلَمُ

وَما كُلُّ مَن يَبغي السَلامَةَ يَسلَمُ

Love has struck a heart far removed from love,

Love has struck a heart once distant from passion -

and not everyone who seeks safety escapes unharmed.

Not everyone who seeks salvation finds peace.

أُجَمجِمُ عَن عَوّادِ قَومِيَ عِلَّتي

أُجَمجِمُ عَن عَوّادِ قَومِيَ عِلَّتي

وَحُبُّكُمُ ذاكَ الدَخيلُ المُجَمجَمُ

وَحُبُّكُمُ ذاكَ الدَخيلُ المُجَمجَمُ

I conceal my ailment from those of my people who visit me in sickness,

I conceal my love for my people's censurers;

and your love is that concealed inward affliction.

Yet my love for you all is that troublesome concealment.