وبِيضٍ كالظّباءِ مُنَعَّماتٍ

وبِيضٍ كالظّباءِ مُنَعَّماتٍ

يَصِدنَكَ جَهرَةً غَيرَ اغتِرَارِ

يَصِدنَكَ جَهرَةً غَيرَ اغتِرَارِ

And pampered fair-skinned women, like gazelles,

With skins like white antelope, so sleek,

They snare you openly, not by taking you unawares.

alluring you without deceit.

إِذا حاوَلنَنى فَاَصَدنَ قَلبِى

إِذا حاوَلنَنى فَاَصَدنَ قَلبِى

جَعَلتُ الوُدَّ مِنهُنَّ انتِصارِى

جَعَلتُ الوُدَّ مِنهُنَّ انتِصارِى

When they sought me out and captured my heart,

When they try to win my heart over,

I made their affection my triumph.

I make winning them my feat.

وَصَرَّفتُ الحَدِيثَ لَهُنَّ حَتَّى

وَصَرَّفتُ الحَدِيثَ لَهُنَّ حَتَّى

اُصافِىَ وُدَّهُنَّ عَلَى اقتِدَارِ

اُصافِىَ وُدَّهُنَّ عَلَى اقتِدَارِ

And I varied my talk for them so that

I turn the conversation artfully

I might share their sincere affection, with mastery.

until I gain their gentle love discreet.

فَإِن تَكُنِ الحَوادِيثُ وَقَّرَتنِى

فَإِن تَكُنِ الحَوادِيثُ وَقَّرَتنِى

وَعَدَّى الشَّيبُ عَن طَلبِ الجَوارِى

وَعَدَّى الشَّيبُ عَن طَلبِ الجَوارِى

For if events have sobered me,

If talk makes me revere them

And gray hair has turned me from pursuing maidens,

and old age bars me from seeking girls,

فَقَد عاوَرتُهُنَّ ثِيابَ لَهوٍ

فَقَد عاوَرتُهُنَّ ثِيابَ لَهوٍ

لَبِسناهُنَّ وَالمَحرُومُ عارِى

لَبِسناهُنَّ وَالمَحرُومُ عارِى

Yet I have indeed exchanged with them garments of pleasure;

I have shared with them clothes of play

We wore them, while the deprived one was naked.

we wore them, though deprived went bare.

لَيالَى لا يُغَيِّرُ حُبَّ لَيلَى وَوُدِّها

لَيالَى لا يُغَيِّرُ حُبَّ لَيلَى وَوُدِّها

وَما أَنا مِن حُبِّ لِلَيلَى بِتائِبِ

وَما أَنا مِن حُبِّ لِلَيلَى بِتائِبِ

Nights when love for Layla and affection for her remain unchanged;

Nights cannot change love for Layla, her affection,

And I do not repent of loving Layla.

Nor am I quitting loving Layla in repentance.