الصبر أصبح درعه بالي

الصبر أصبح درعه بالي

مذ أشغلت بجمالها بالي

مذ أشغلت بجمالها بالي

Patience's shield has become worn out,

Patience has become my worn out shield

Since she occupied my mind with her beauty.

Since she occupied my mind

فأبيت مشتاقاً أخا وله

فأبيت مشتاقاً أخا وله

ما عن لقا معشوقه سالي

ما عن لقا معشوقه سالي

So I spend the night yearning, a companion of passion,

So I remained longing, o brother

Who cannot put meeting his beloved out of mind.

Without asking to meet my beloved

ولقد كتمت عن الورى كلفي

ولقد كتمت عن الورى كلفي

دفعا لسهم القيل والقالي

دفعا لسهم القيل والقالي

And indeed I concealed my infatuation from humankind,

And I have concealed my passion from others

To ward off the arrow of hearsay and idle talk.

To avoid the arrows of gossip

يا ظبية مذ أقبلت تعطو

يا ظبية مذ أقبلت تعطو

صارت عليَّ كشر رئبال

صارت عليَّ كشر رئبال

O gazelle! Since she approached, reaching up,

O gazelle, since you came and gave

She turned against me like a lion in its fury.

Evil has befallen me like a vicious wolf

وعليّ مذهلت مزينة

وعليّ مذهلت مزينة

رب الجمال أقامها والي

رب الجمال أقامها والي

And over me, since she appeared adorned,

And since you fascinated me, adorned

The lord of beauty appointed her ruler.

The Lord of Beauty made you a governor over me

فعشقتها والقلب منتصر

فعشقتها والقلب منتصر

لجمالها مستجهل الخالي

لجمالها مستجهل الخالي

So I loved her, while my heart championed

So I loved you while my heart was victorious

Her beauty, deeming anyone free of love a fool.

By your beauty, ignoring others

وحسبتها تمسي مناصرتي

وحسبتها تمسي مناصرتي

فغدت عليّ بدلها لالي

فغدت عليّ بدلها لالي

And I thought she would become my ally,

And I thought you would support me

Yet with her coyness she turned against me, not for me.

But instead you became to me a new moon

كم ليلة قد بت مكتئباً

كم ليلة قد بت مكتئباً

لنفيس عمري بالجفا قالي

لنفيس عمري بالجفا قالي

How many a night I have spent despondent

How many nights have I spent depressed

For my life's treasure, who spurns me with coldness.

With my life ruined by your indifference

يا ليتها في الحب صاغية

يا ليتها في الحب صاغية

لتوّجعي إصغاء عذالي

لتوّجعي إصغاء عذالي

Oh, if only she would listen in love

I wish in love you were kind

To my suffering as my reproachers do!

And would listen to my painful lament

كفي عن الحرب التي نشبت

كفي عن الحرب التي نشبت

قسما بورد الخد والخالي

قسما بورد الخد والخالي

Cease the war that has broken out,

Stop this war you started

I swear by the rose of your cheek and its beauty mark.

I swear by your cheek and your mole

ردي إلي العين التي فتكت

ردي إلي العين التي فتكت

سيفا به قطعت أوصالي

سيفا به قطعت أوصالي

Turn toward me again the eye that ravaged me—

Return to me the eye that murdered me

A sword with which you severed my limbs.

With a sword that cut up my limbs

وثقي بأني قد وردت هوى

وثقي بأني قد وردت هوى

ورد المنية منه أهنالي

ورد المنية منه أهنالي

And be assured that I have come to a love

And trust that I am passionate about you

Compared with which death's draught is sweeter to me.

And passion is the death I draw from you

من أجل بخلك بالوصال لقد

من أجل بخلك بالوصال لقد

ساءت وحق هواك أحوالي

ساءت وحق هواك أحوالي

Because you withhold union, indeed,

Because you're miserly with union

My plight has worsened—I swear by my love for you.

My love for you has become a miserable state

فتعطفي وترفقي بفتى

فتعطفي وترفقي بفتى

ساد الأنام لو أنه خالي

ساد الأنام لو أنه خالي

So show compassion and gentleness to a young man

So have mercy and be gentle with a young man

Who would have surpassed humankind, had he been free of love.

Who would have led people had he been without passion