وَتركِيةِ الأَنسابِ طوراً أُحِبُّها

وَتركِيةِ الأَنسابِ طوراً أُحِبُّها

فَأكرمُ مَثواها وَأُعنَى بِبِرِّها

فَأكرمُ مَثواها وَأُعنَى بِبِرِّها

And one of Turkish lineage—at times I love her;

Of lineage pure, for a time I loved her,

so I honor her abode and take care to show her kindness.

Honored her dwelling and strove her to bless.

أُواصِلُها حَتّي إِذا ما مَلِلتُها

أُواصِلُها حَتّي إِذا ما مَلِلتُها

رَأَيتُ لَذيذَ العيشِ في طولِ هَجرِها

رَأَيتُ لَذيذَ العيشِ في طولِ هَجرِها

I keep her company until, when I tire of her,

I frequented her till I wearied of her,

I find life's sweetness in a long separation from her.

And the sweetness of life was in long severance.

خَلفتُ لَها آباءَها وَوَكلتُها

خَلفتُ لَها آباءَها وَوَكلتُها

إِلى ناصِحٍ طَبٍّ خَبيرٍ بِسِرِّها

إِلى ناصِحٍ طَبٍّ خَبيرٍ بِسِرِّها

I took her fathers' place for her and entrusted her

I left her to parents and friends that would guide her,

to a sincere, skilled adviser, well versed in her secret.

Well-wishers wise, to take care of her youth.

فَجاءَت عَلى ما اِختَرتُ لا الطولُ شانَها

فَجاءَت عَلى ما اِختَرتُ لا الطولُ شانَها

وَلا قالَ فيها الناسُ عَيباً لِقصرِها

وَلا قالَ فيها الناسُ عَيباً لِقصرِها

So she turned out as I chose; length did not mar her,

She came as I wished, no too short, no too tall,

nor did people find fault with her for her shortness.

No fault or excess in the world found in her.

وَأَلبَستُها ثَوباً مِنَ الوَشي مُعلَماً

وَأَلبَستُها ثَوباً مِنَ الوَشي مُعلَماً

لِإِتمامِ مَعناها وَإِكمالِ فَخرِها

لِإِتمامِ مَعناها وَإِكمالِ فَخرِها

And I clothed her in a decorated robe of brocade,

In a robe embroidered I clad her, to finish

to complete her meaning and perfect her glory.

Her raiment, and make her in glory complete.

وَما لَيلَةٌ في الدَهرِ إِلّا هَجَرتُها

وَما لَيلَةٌ في الدَهرِ إِلّا هَجَرتُها

فَلا وَصلَ حَتّى تَستَنيرَ بِفَجرِها

فَلا وَصلَ حَتّى تَستَنيرَ بِفَجرِها

And no night in all time passes without my leaving her;

No night in time but I fled from her precincts,

so there is no union until the night brightens with its dawn.

No union but sunrise revealed her to me.

وَكانَت زَماناً يُستَلذُّ بِبَطنِها

وَكانَت زَماناً يُستَلذُّ بِبَطنِها

وَلكِنَّني أَلتَذُّ مِنها بِظَهرِها

وَلكِنَّني أَلتَذُّ مِنها بِظَهرِها

And once, pleasure was taken in her belly,

Once she was food my hunger to please,

but I take my pleasure from her back.

Now absence from her contents and feeds me.