أيا برقُ نافحْ ذكرَ ظبيٍ مهفهفٍ

أيا برقُ نافحْ ذكرَ ظبيٍ مهفهفٍ

حوى نفحاتِ المسكِ والندِّ ريَّاهُ

حوى نفحاتِ المسكِ والندِّ ريَّاهُ

O lightning, vie with the memory of a slender gazelle,

O lightning that reminds of a beautiful, fluttering gazelle

Whose fragrance held wafts of musk and incense.

Whose breath carries the fragrances of musk and ambergris

قسا فرماني عنْ قِسيِّ حواجبٍ

قسا فرماني عنْ قِسيِّ حواجبٍ

تنوبُ لها دأباً عن الرشقِ عيناه

تنوبُ لها دأباً عن الرشقِ عيناه

He grew cruel and shot me from the bows of his brows,

It commanded me to abandon the harshness of obligations

His eyes forever serving those bows in place of arrow-shots.

That make my eyes continuously weep out of yearning for it

تمنيتُ من أهوى به وهو قاتلي

تمنيتُ من أهوى به وهو قاتلي

وربَّ مُنىً للمرءِ فيها مناياه

وربَّ مُنىً للمرءِ فيها مناياه

I longed for the one I am in love with, though he is my slayer;

I wished for the one I love, though he is my killer

And many wishes hold a man's doom within them.

And the wishes of a man often lead to his demise

وما راعني إلا تأوُّدُ عِطْفِهِ

وما راعني إلا تأوُّدُ عِطْفِهِ

وقد مالَ سُكراً والرضابُ حميَّاه

وقد مالَ سُكراً والرضابُ حميَّاه

And nothing startled me but the swaying of his side,

Yet I was not cautious, attracted by his gentle affection

As he leaned drunkenly, saliva was his intoxicating fire.

As he swayed intoxicated while the cups were heated

أَذلنا دماءً في هواه وأدمعاً

أَذلنا دماءً في هواه وأدمعاً

وضنَّ لنا ظُلماً بِظَلْمِ ثناياه

وضنَّ لنا ظُلماً بِظَلْمِ ثناياه

We shed blood and tears in our love for him,

We shed blood in our love for him and tears

Yet he unjustly begrudged us the moisture of his front teeth.

While he oppressed us with the injustice of his embrace

فما بَرِحَ الشوقُ المبرِّحُ سامياً

فما بَرِحَ الشوقُ المبرِّحُ سامياً

لأحوى حوى كلَّ المحاسنِ مرآه

لأحوى حوى كلَّ المحاسنِ مرآه

So tormenting longing never ceased to soar

Still, fervent longing did not cease rising high

Toward a dusky gazelle whose looks held every beauty.

For the most beautiful of visions I adore

فمنظرُهُ والثغرُ منه وعَرْفُهُ

فمنظرُهُ والثغرُ منه وعَرْفُهُ

وقامتُهُ والردفُ منه وخدَّاهر

وقامتُهُ والردفُ منه وخدَّاهر

For his looks, his mouth, and his fragrance,

His appearance, his lips, his temples and his cheeks

And his stature, his rump, and his cheeks [uncertain reading],

Are like the dawn sun, pearls, musk, and fragrant branches

لشمسِ الضحى والدرِّ والمسكِ ونفحةً

لشمسِ الضحى والدرِّ والمسكِ ونفحةً

وغصنِ النقا والدعصِ والورد أَشباه

وغصنِ النقا والدعصِ والورد أَشباه

Are like the midmorning sun, pearls, musk, and a fragrant breath,

Of basil, chamomile, roses - they are all similar

And a branch on the dune, a sand mound, and roses.