معاذ الله أن يسلو المتيمْ

معاذ الله أن يسلو المتيمْ

وحاشا أن يطاوع قيك لُوّمْ

وحاشا أن يطاوع قيك لُوّمْ

God forbid that the love-stricken should cease loving.

God forbid the lovesick one finds solace

And far be it from him to heed reproachers [concerning you].

And perish the thought that your rebuke may relent

حكمت بأسره والقلبُ راضٍ

حكمت بأسره والقلبُ راضٍ

بما ترضى فيا حبّي تحكمْ

بما ترضى فيا حبّي تحكمْ

You decreed his captivity, and the heart is content

You have ruled decisively and my heart acquiesces

With whatever pleases you; so, my love, rule as you will.

To whatever pleases you, so rule as you see fit

ملكت فؤاده ببديع حسنٍ

ملكت فؤاده ببديع حسنٍ

فأمركَ نافذٌ فيه مسلّمْ

فأمركَ نافذٌ فيه مسلّمْ

You took possession of his heart with wondrous beauty;

You have captured his heart with your exquisite beauty

So your command holds sway within it, unquestioned.

Your command holds sway, obeyed without dissent

درى الغصنُ انثناءَ القدّ يوماً

درى الغصنُ انثناءَ القدّ يوماً

فحاولَ ميلَه حتى تعلمْ

فحاولَ ميلَه حتى تعلمْ

One day the bough learned of the figure’s sway,

The bough knows the swaying of the graceful form

So it tried to imitate its sway until it learned.

It tries to mimic it, though the lesson is not learnt