يا رَبيبَ النَدى وتِربَ المَعالي

يا رَبيبَ النَدى وتِربَ المَعالي

وأَديباً فاقَ الورى بالمقالِ

وأَديباً فاقَ الورى بالمقالِ

O fosterling of generosity and peer of lofty virtues,

O nurtured by dew, weaned on glory,

And man of letters who outshone mankind in eloquence,

Scholar who surpasses all in eloquence,

اِستمع لي لا زلتَ واِصغِ لِقَولي

اِستمع لي لا زلتَ واِصغِ لِقَولي

وأَجبني بما يُخِفُّ ثقالي

وأَجبني بما يُخِفُّ ثقالي

Listen to me—may you ever endure—and give ear to my words,

Listen to me, cease not, and hearken to my words,

And answer me with what will lighten my burdens.

Answer me with what will lighten my burden.

فأَنا اليومَ منذُ عامين صَبٌّ

فأَنا اليومَ منذُ عامين صَبٌّ

بِغَزالٍ يَفوقُ كلَّ غَزالِ

بِغَزالٍ يَفوقُ كلَّ غَزالِ

For I have now been lovesick for two years,

For lo, this day for two years have I

For a gazelle who surpasses every gazelle.

Pined for a gazelle beyond all gazelles.

رقَّ لي من جفاه كُلُّ عذولٍ

رقَّ لي من جفاه كُلُّ عذولٍ

وَرَثى لي من صدِّه كُلُّ قالِ

وَرَثى لي من صدِّه كُلُّ قالِ

Every reproacher pitied me because of his coldness,

Every tender-hearted one grieves for my love-longing,

And every foe pitied me because he spurned me.

And every speaker laments my rejection.

كلَّما رمتُ رشفَةً من لماه

كلَّما رمتُ رشفَةً من لماه

صدَّ عنّي وسامَني بالمِحالِ

صدَّ عنّي وسامَني بالمِحالِ

Whenever I sought a sip from his dusky lips,

Whenever I cast a glance of desire at him

He turned away from me and tormented me with guile.

He turns from me and rebuffs me.

وأَنا والَّذي أَعلَّ فؤادي

وأَنا والَّذي أَعلَّ فؤادي

بهواه لست الغداة بسالي

بهواه لست الغداة بسالي

And I—by the one who sickened my heart

And I, whom love has lifted to the heights,

With love for him—am not today free of longing.

Am not, when morning comes, downcast.

كَيفَ والوَجدُ قد أَباحَ اِصطباري

كَيفَ والوَجدُ قد أَباحَ اِصطباري

ودموعي لمّا تَزل في اِنهِمالِ

ودموعي لمّا تَزل في اِنهِمالِ

How could I, when passion has laid waste my patience,

How not, when passion has made my patience lawful

And my tears have not yet ceased to stream?

And my streaming tears flow on without end?

فاِفتِني لا برحت فَتوى أَريب

فاِفتِني لا برحت فَتوى أَريب

فَعَساه يُصغي وَيَرثي لحالي

فَعَساه يُصغي وَيَرثي لحالي

So give me—may you ever endure—a wise man's ruling,

So enlighten me, cease not giving me counsel,

So perhaps he will listen and take pity on my plight.

That he may hearken and feel pity for my state.

واِبقَ واِسلم في عزَّةٍ وعلاءٍ

واِبقَ واِسلم في عزَّةٍ وعلاءٍ

يا رَبيبَ النَدى وتِربَ المَعالي

يا رَبيبَ النَدى وتِربَ المَعالي

And live on and stay safe, in honor and eminence,

Farewell, go in honor and glory,

O fosterling of generosity and peer of lofty virtues.

O nurtured by dew, weaned on glory.