تمنيتُ مَن أهوى فلما لَقيتُهُ

تمنيتُ مَن أهوى فلما لَقيتُهُ

بُهِتُّ فلم أملك لساناً ولا طَرفا

بُهِتُّ فلم أملك لساناً ولا طَرفا

I longed for the one I love; but when I met him,

I longed for the one I love, but when I met him,

I was dumbstruck, unable to command my tongue or even a glance.

I was dumbfounded, with no command of tongue or gaze.

وقد كان في قلبي أمورٌ كثيرةٌ

وقد كان في قلبي أمورٌ كثيرةٌ

فلم التقينا ما نطقتُ ولا حرفا

فلم التقينا ما نطقتُ ولا حرفا

And there had been so many things within my heart—

Though there had been many things within my heart,

yet when we met, I could not utter so much as a letter.

when we met, I did not utter even a letter.

وأطرقتُ إجلالاً له ومَهَابةً

وأطرقتُ إجلالاً له ومَهَابةً

وحاولتُ أن يَخفَى الذي بي فَلَم يَخفَا

وحاولتُ أن يَخفَى الذي بي فَلَم يَخفَا

I lowered my eyes before him, in reverence and awe,

And I lowered my head in reverence and awe of him,

and tried to hide what was within me, but it would not stay hidden.

and tried to hide what was within me, but it would not be hidden.

فلو أنني مُلِّكتُ من ثغرهِ الذي

فلو أنني مُلِّكتُ من ثغرهِ الذي

تَمَكَّن فيه الدُّرُّ قبلته ألفا

تَمَكَّن فيه الدُّرُّ قبلته ألفا

If only I were granted that mouth of his, where

If I were granted possession of his mouth, in which

the pearls lie set—I would kiss it a thousand times.

pearls are firmly set, I would kiss it a thousand times.