هَوى لَولا لَواحِظُ أُمِّ عَمرٍو

هَوى لَولا لَواحِظُ أُمِّ عَمرٍو

لَصادَفَنا مُصادَفَةَ القَضاءِ

لَصادَفَنا مُصادَفَةَ القَضاءِ

A passion that, but for Umm ʿAmr’s glances,

Had it not been for the lover of Umm 'Amr,

would have struck us as fate does.

We would have met by chance of fate.

دَقيقَة صَفحَةِ الخَدَّينِ أَشهى

دَقيقَة صَفحَةِ الخَدَّينِ أَشهى

مِنَ الماءِ الزُلالِ عَلى الظَماءِ

مِنَ الماءِ الزُلالِ عَلى الظَماءِ

Delicate of cheek, more desirable

Delicate is the page of her cheeks,

than crystal-clear water to the thirsty.

More delicious than cool water to the thirsty.

وَقالوا في مَراشِفِهِ شِفاءٌ

وَقالوا في مَراشِفِهِ شِفاءٌ

فَيا شَوقَ المَريضِ إِلى الشفاءِ

فَيا شَوقَ المَريضِ إِلى الشفاءِ

And they said, “In his lips is healing”;

And they said in her pillows there is healing,

so, oh, how the sick one longs for healing!

So O longing of the sick for healing!