وا بأبي مفحمٌ لعزته

وا بأبي مفحمٌ لعزته

قلت له إذ خلوتُ مكتتما

قلت له إذ خلوتُ مكتتما

Ah—my father be ransom for one whom proud reserve leaves speechless!

Ah, my father be his ransom—tongue-tied by his pride!

I said to him, when I had him alone, keeping it secret:

I said to him, when alone with him in secret:

تحبُّ باللَه من يخصك بالحبِّ

تحبُّ باللَه من يخصك بالحبِّ

فما قال لا ولا نعما

فما قال لا ولا نعما

“By God, do you love me—me who singles you out with love?”

“Do you love, by God, the one who singles you out for love?”

Yet he said neither no nor yes;

But he said neither no nor yes.

ثم تولى بمقلتي خجلٍ

ثم تولى بمقلتي خجلٍ

أراد رد الجواب فاحتشما

أراد رد الجواب فاحتشما

then turned away with the eyes of a bashful man.

Then he turned away with bashful eyes;

He wished to answer, but modesty held him back.

He wished to give an answer, but was too shy.

فكنت كالمبتغي بحيلته

فكنت كالمبتغي بحيلته

برءا من السقمِ فابتدا سقما

برءا من السقمِ فابتدا سقما

So I was like one who, by his own device, seeks

So I was like one seeking, through his stratagem,

recovery from sickness, only to bring on sickness.

a cure for illness, only to bring on illness.