جَعَلتُ عَقلي لِشَهوَتي عَبدا

جَعَلتُ عَقلي لِشَهوَتي عَبدا

وَصارَ غِيِّي عِندَ الهَوى رُشدا

وَصارَ غِيِّي عِندَ الهَوى رُشدا

I made my reason a slave to my desire.

I made my reason a slave to my passion

And in passion's eyes, my waywardness became sound judgment.

And my madness became wisdom in love

وَصادَني شادِنٌ كَلِفتُ بِهِ

وَصادَني شادِنٌ كَلِفتُ بِهِ

فَدَتهُ نَفسي وَمِثلُهُ يُفدى

فَدَتهُ نَفسي وَمِثلُهُ يُفدى

And a young gazelle ensnared me; I was enamored of him.

And a reproacher blamed me for whom I was infatuated

May my soul ransom him; one like him deserves to be ransomed.

I would ransom myself and the likes of me are to be ransomed

حينَ دَرى ما الهَوى وَأَحسَنتِ ال

حينَ دَرى ما الهَوى وَأَحسَنتِ ال

أَلحاظُ مِنهُ الوَعيدَ وَالوَعدا

أَلحاظُ مِنهُ الوَعيدَ وَالوَعدا

When he knew what love was, and deft were the

When he realized what love was and you were good at

glances he cast in threatening and promising,

Glances from him of threat and promise

عَذَرتُ شَوقي إِلَيهِ حينَ بَدا

عَذَرتُ شَوقي إِلَيهِ حينَ بَدا

وَلُمتُ حُبّي إِلَيهِ إِذا صَدّا

وَلُمتُ حُبّي إِلَيهِ إِذا صَدّا

I excused my longing for him when he appeared,

I excused my longing for him when it appeared

And blamed my love for him whenever he turned away.

And blamed my love for him if he turned away