وقائلةٍ أنَّي تيّممت غازِياً

وقائلةٍ أنَّي تيّممت غازِياً

وأنت أميرَ الحسنِ جُؤذرُنا الجازي

وأنت أميرَ الحسنِ جُؤذرُنا الجازي

And a woman said that I had sought out a warrior,

She said to me that I acted like a raider,

While you, prince of beauty, are our gazelle who requites.

Though you are the handsome prince who provides for us.

فقلتُ لها قولَ امرئٍ ذي بلاغةٍ

فقلتُ لها قولَ امرئٍ ذي بلاغةٍ

يدُلُّ على المعنى الطّويلِ بايجازِ

يدُلُّ على المعنى الطّويلِ بايجازِ

So I answered her with an eloquent man’s speech,

So I said to her words of an eloquent man,

Conveying an extended meaning in few words:

That convey the long meaning concisely.

تبدّى وقلبي بالمحبّةِ كافرٌ

تبدّى وقلبي بالمحبّةِ كافرٌ

فأقبلَ يمشي قاصداً غير مجتازِ

فأقبلَ يمشي قاصداً غير مجتازِ

He appeared while my heart disbelieved in love;

My infidel heart revealed itself and fell in love,

So he approached with purpose, not merely passing by.

So he started walking purposely without hesitation.

تيمّمهُ يختالُ في جيشِ حُسنهِ

تيمّمهُ يختالُ في جيشِ حُسنهِ

طلُوبٌ على البأساءِ ليس بمنحازِ

طلُوبٌ على البأساءِ ليس بمنحازِ

He made for it, strutting amid the army of his beauty,

He walks proudly among the army of his beauty,

A relentless pursuer despite adversity, never retreating.

A wanted man not taking sides.

رماهُ بسهمي ناظريهِ تعمُّداً

رماهُ بسهمي ناظريهِ تعمُّداً

فصيّرهُ فيئاً له تحت أحرازِ

فصيّرهُ فيئاً له تحت أحرازِ

He deliberately struck it with the two arrows of his eyes,

I deliberately shot him with the arrows of my eyes,

And made it his booty, held in safekeeping.

Making him my prey within my defences.

ومن يغزُ كفّاراً لدى عقرِ دارِه

ومن يغزُ كفّاراً لدى عقرِ دارِه

خليقٌ بأن يُدعى ويُنعتَ بالغازي

خليقٌ بأن يُدعى ويُنعتَ بالغازي

And whoever raids unbelievers in the heart of his dwelling

And he who fights disbelievers right at their home

Deserves to be called and styled a warrior.

Deserves to be called and titled as the raider.

أيا قاتلاً قلبي بأوّلِ نظرةٍ

أيا قاتلاً قلبي بأوّلِ نظرةٍ

كُفِيتَ فمهلاً لا تُثَنِّ لأجهازِ

كُفِيتَ فمهلاً لا تُثَنِّ لأجهازِ

O slayer of my heart with the very first glance,

O you who killed my heart with the first glance,

Your task is done; gently now—do not strike again to finish it off.

Enough, do not be in a hurry to collect the spoils.

فإنَّكَ مَن وُلّيتَ كلمَ فؤادِه

فإنَّكَ مَن وُلّيتَ كلمَ فؤادِه

لَتعجَزُ عن أدمالهُ صنعةُ الرّازي

لَتعجَزُ عن أدمالهُ صنعةُ الرّازي

For the one whose heart you were charged with wounding—

For you who took the reigns of his innermost heart,

Al-Razi’s art is surely powerless to heal that wound.

Will not be able to carry its burdens, not even the artful embalmer.