ما بَيْنَ نَجْدٍ وتَلْعَةِ العَلَمِ

ما بَيْنَ نَجْدٍ وتَلْعَةِ العَلَمِ

غُزَيِّلٌ سَيْفُ طرفِهِ بِدَمي

غُزَيِّلٌ سَيْفُ طرفِهِ بِدَمي

Somewhere between Najd and the rise of al-ʿAlam,

Between Najd and the slope of al-ʿAlam

a little gazelle—the sword of whose glance is stained with my blood.

is a little gazelle, his glance’s sword stained with my blood.

كَلِيلُ لَحْظِ الجُفُونِ فاتِكُهُ

كَلِيلُ لَحْظِ الجُفُونِ فاتِكُهُ

في القَلْبِ فَتْكَ المهند الخَذِمِ

في القَلْبِ فَتْكَ المهند الخَذِمِ

Languid is the sidelong glance of his eyelids—yet its assault

His eyelids’ languid glance is deadly,

upon the heart is the assault of a keen Indian sword.

striking the heart like a keen Indian-forged sword.

إنْ كُنْتَ لم تَدْرِ ما جَوايَ بهِ

إنْ كُنْتَ لم تَدْرِ ما جَوايَ بهِ

فسَلْ ظُبا ناظِرَيْهِ عَنْ ألَمي

فسَلْ ظُبا ناظِرَيْهِ عَنْ ألَمي

If you do not know the inward anguish he has caused me,

If you do not know my burning anguish for him,

then ask the blades of his two eyes about my pain.

then ask the blade-edges of his eyes about my pain.

باللهِ خُذْ صِحَّتي فَداوِ بها

باللهِ خُذْ صِحَّتي فَداوِ بها

ما دَبَّ في مُقْلَتَيْكَ مِنْ سَقَمِ

ما دَبَّ في مُقْلَتَيْكَ مِنْ سَقَمِ

By God, take my health, and with it heal

By God, take my health and with it cure

whatever sickness has crept into your two eyes.

the sickness that has crept into your eyes.

وحَمِّل الرِّدْفَ فَهْوَ مَتْعَبَةٌ

وحَمِّل الرِّدْفَ فَهْوَ مَتْعَبَةٌ

جِسْمي كَفى الخَصْرَ مَحْملُ الهَضَمِ

جِسْمي كَفى الخَصْرَ مَحْملُ الهَضَمِ

And make the haunch bear the burden—for it is a weariness

And load your hips—for they are a burden—

to my body; enough for the waist is the load of leanness.

onto my body; slenderness is burden enough for your waist.

يا رَشأً في الفُؤادِ مَكْنِسُهُ

يا رَشأً في الفُؤادِ مَكْنِسُهُ

لم يَنْتَقِلْ عَنه لا ولم يَرُمِ

لم يَنْتَقِلْ عَنه لا ولم يَرُمِ

O young gazelle whose lair is in my heart,

O fawn whose covert lies within the heart,

he has never left it—no, nor sought to leave.

who has never left it—no, nor sought to.

أفديكَ أنَّى أبَحْتَ مِنْ كَبِدي

أفديكَ أنَّى أبَحْتَ مِنْ كَبِدي

ما لَمْ تَزلْ مِنْ حِماهُ في حُرَمِ

ما لَمْ تَزلْ مِنْ حِماهُ في حُرَمِ

May I ransom you! How could you violate, of my liver,

I would ransom you! How could you lay my liver open to harm,

what had always remained sacred within its sanctuary?

while you have always been safe within its sanctuary?

مَلَكْتَ رِقِّي فرِقَّ يا أمَلي

مَلَكْتَ رِقِّي فرِقَّ يا أمَلي

ولا تُحِلْ مُهْجَتي عَلى العَدَمِ

ولا تُحِلْ مُهْجَتي عَلى العَدَمِ

You own my bondage; then show me tenderness, O my hope,

You hold me in bondage; have pity, O my hope,

and do not consign my lifeblood to annihilation.

and do not consign my lifeblood to nothingness.