لَو أَنَّني يا هِندُ بَدرَ السَما

لَو أَنَّني يا هِندُ بَدرَ السَما

نَزَلتُ مِن أُفُقي إِلى مُخدِعِك

نَزَلتُ مِن أُفُقي إِلى مُخدِعِك

If I were, O Hind, the sky’s full moon,

If only I were, O Hind, the full moon of the sky,

I would descend from my horizon to your bedchamber,

I would descend from my horizon into your chamber,

وَصُرتُ وَقداً لَكِ أَو خاتِماً

وَصُرتُ وَقداً لَكِ أَو خاتِماً

في جيدِكِ الناصِعِ أَو إِصبَعِك

في جيدِكِ الناصِعِ أَو إِصبَعِك

And become a flame for you, or a ring,

And become a necklace for you, or a ring,

On your radiant neck, or upon your finger.

Upon your radiant neck or your finger.

أَو بُلبُلَ الرَوضِ ما لَذَّ لي

أَو بُلبُلَ الرَوضِ ما لَذَّ لي

الاِنشادُ إِن لَم يَكُن في مَسمَعِك

الاِنشادُ إِن لَم يَكُن في مَسمَعِك

Or were I the garden’s nightingale, I would find no joy

Or were I the garden's nightingale, I would find no delight

In singing unless it were within your hearing.

In singing, unless it were within your hearing.

وَلَو أَكونُ الأَرَجُ الذاكي

وَلَو أَكونُ الأَرَجُ الذاكي

لَما هَجَرتُ لرَوضَ لَولاكِ

لَما هَجَرتُ لرَوضَ لَولاكِ

And were I the potent fragrance,

And were I the diffusing, fragrant scent,

I would not leave the garden but for you,

I would never have left the garden were it not for you,

وَما حَواني غَيرُ مَغناكِ

وَما حَواني غَيرُ مَغناكِ

وَلَم أَفُح حَتّى تَكوني مَعي

وَلَم أَفُح حَتّى تَكوني مَعي

And nothing but your dwelling would hold me,

Nor would any dwelling hold me but your abode,

Nor would I give off fragrance until you were with me.

And I would not waft until you were with me.

فيكِ وَفي الوَردَةِ سِرُّ الصِبا

فيكِ وَفي الوَردَةِ سِرُّ الصِبا

وَفي الصِبا سِرُّ الهَوى وَالجَمال

وَفي الصِبا سِرُّ الهَوى وَالجَمال

In you and in the rose lies the secret of youth,

In you and in the rose lies the secret of youth,

And in youth, the secret of love and beauty.

And in youth lies the secret of passion and beauty.

فَإِن تَريني واجِماً باهِتاً

فَإِن تَريني واجِماً باهِتاً

حَيالِها أَخشى عَلَيها الزَوال

حَيالِها أَخشى عَلَيها الزَوال

So if you see me silent and aghast

So if you see me sullen and pale,

Before it, fearing its passing,

Standing before it, fearing its fading away,

فَإِنَّني شاهَدتُ طَيفَ الرَدى

فَإِنَّني شاهَدتُ طَيفَ الرَدى

يَنسَلُّ كَالسارِقِ بَينَ الظِلال

يَنسَلُّ كَالسارِقِ بَينَ الظِلال

For I have seen the specter of death

It is because I have witnessed the specter of Death

Slipping like a thief among the shadows.

Slinking like a thief amidst the shadows.

وَلاحَ لي في الوَرَقِ

وَلاحَ لي في الوَرَقِ

مُنطَرِحاً في الأَرضِ قُدّامي

مُنطَرِحاً في الأَرضِ قُدّامي

And there appeared to me in the leaves,

And there appeared to me among the fallen leaves,

Lying upon the ground before me,

Cast down upon the ground before me,

أَشباحُ آمالي وَأَحلامي

أَشباحُ آمالي وَأَحلامي

أَحلامُ مَن أَحلامُ مَضناكِ

أَحلامُ مَن أَحلامُ مَضناكِ

The ghosts of my hopes and dreams—

The ghosts of my hopes and my dreams—

Whose dreams? The dreams of your lovesick one.

The dreams of whom? The dreams of your weary lover.