بِنَفسِيَ مُعرِضَةٌ باخِلَه

بِنَفسِيَ مُعرِضَةٌ باخِلَه

أَجِدُّ وَتَقتُلُنِي هازِلَه

أَجِدُّ وَتَقتُلُنِي هازِلَه

My life as ransom for her who turns away, withholding!

My self exposed by a stingy beloved

I am earnest, while she kills me in jest.

I strive yet she kills me, jesting

عَجِبتُ لِعَطفٍ لَها مائِلٍ

عَجِبتُ لِعَطفٍ لَها مائِلٍ

وَلَيسَت لِعَطفٍ بِهِ مائِلَه

وَلَيسَت لِعَطفٍ بِهِ مائِلَه

I marveled at her inclining waist,

I'm amazed by tenderness inclining to her

yet with it she inclines to no tenderness,

Yet no tenderness in her is inclining

وَقَدٍّ حَكى ناعِماتِ الغُصُونِ

وَقَدٍّ حَكى ناعِماتِ الغُصُونِ

وَيَفعَلُ فِعلَ القَنا الذابِلَه

وَيَفعَلُ فِعلَ القَنا الذابِلَه

and at a figure resembling tender boughs,

She described the softness of bending branches

yet it does the work of slender spears.

Yet acts like a fading channel

مُحَكّمَةٌ في قُلوبِ الأَنا

مُحَكّمَةٌ في قُلوبِ الأَنا

مِ لَو أَنّ أَحكامَها عادِلَه

مِ لَو أَنّ أَحكامَها عادِلَه

She rules over the hearts of humankind—

Firm in the hearts of Passion

if only her judgments were just!

As if her judgments were fair

سَمَحتُ بِرُوحي لَها وَاعتدَت

سَمَحتُ بِرُوحي لَها وَاعتدَت

عَلَيَّ بِطَرفِ الكَرى باخِلَه

عَلَيَّ بِطَرفِ الكَرى باخِلَه

I freely gave her my soul, and she transgressed

I yielded my soul to her, yet she transgressed

against me, begrudging even a wink of sleep.

Upon me with averting glances, stingy

وَتَمنَعُنِي وَصلَها وَالفُتُو

وَتَمنَعُنِي وَصلَها وَالفُتُو

رُ يُوهِمُنِي أَنَّها باذِلَه

رُ يُوهِمُنِي أَنَّها باذِلَه

She denies me union with her, while her languor

She denies me her union, yet empty pride

makes me imagine she would grant it.

Deceives me she is generous

كَفاها شَهيداً عَلى لَوعَتي

كَفاها شَهيداً عَلى لَوعَتي

نُحُولِي وَأَدمُعِيَ السائِلَه

نُحُولِي وَأَدمُعِيَ السائِلَه

Enough for her as witness to my anguish

My tears and sighs for her suffice as witness

are my wasting frame and my flowing tears,

To my agony, droplets flowing

وَأَنّي مُقيمٌ عَلى حُبِّها

وَأَنّي مُقيمٌ عَلى حُبِّها

وَنَفسِيَ عَن بَدَني راحِلَه

وَنَفسِيَ عَن بَدَني راحِلَه

and that I remain steadfast in loving her

I'm steadfast in my love for her

while my soul departs from my body.

While my soul parts from my body

لَماها حَياتِي وَمَن لِي بِهِ

لَماها حَياتِي وَمَن لِي بِهِ

وَمِن دُونِهِ مُقَلٌ قاتِلَه

وَمِن دُونِهِ مُقَلٌ قاتِلَه

Her lips' dusky hue is my life—who can win it for me,

She's my life, and without her, who do I have

with murderous eyes between me and it?

Except a killing adversity?

سَكارى يُسَكِّرنَ عَقلَ اللَبي

سَكارى يُسَكِّرنَ عَقلَ اللَبي

بِ حَتّى يَرى حَقَّهُ باطِلَه

بِ حَتّى يَرى حَقَّهُ باطِلَه

Drunken, they intoxicate the wise man's mind,

Intoxicated with eyes that cloud the mind of the infatuated

until he sees his right as his wrong.

So he sees right as wrong

وَفَت لِيَ عَصرَ الصِبا ثَمّ زا

وَفَت لِيَ عَصرَ الصِبا ثَمّ زا

لَ فانقَلَبَت بَعدَهُ زائِلَه

لَ فانقَلَبَت بَعدَهُ زائِلَه

She kept faith with me in youth's season; then it passed,

She wasted my springtime days and then departure

and afterward she too slipped away.

Made joys fleeting thereafter

وَوَصل الكِعاب كَعَهدِ الشبا

وَوَصل الكِعاب كَعَهدِ الشبا

بِ كُلٌّ لَهُ صِفَةٌ حائِلَه

بِ كُلٌّ لَهُ صِفَةٌ حائِلَه

And union with maidens is like the season of youth:

Youth and old age met as appointed

each has a changing nature.

Each has traits that intervene

لَقَد طالَ ما تَعِبَت بِالغَرا

لَقَد طالَ ما تَعِبَت بِالغَرا

مِ نَفسِي وَما أَدرَكت طائِلَه

مِ نَفسِي وَما أَدرَكت طائِلَه

Long has passion wearied

Long have I suffered from love's turmoil

my soul, and it has gained nothing.

Yet my soul attained no gains