لامُ عِذارٍ بَدا

لامُ عِذارٍ بَدا

عَرَّضَ بي للرَّدى

عَرَّضَ بي للرَّدى

A lām-shaped line of cheek-down appeared,

No more excuses could avail,

exposing me to death:

He cast me into misery's vale-

أسودُ كالكُفْر في

أسودُ كالكُفْر في

أبيضَ مثل الهُدَى

أبيضَ مثل الهُدَى

black as unbelief upon

Dark as disbelief, while fair

a face white as guidance.

As faith's own light his visage were!

يا فَرْقَدَ اللّيْلِ لِمْ

يا فَرْقَدَ اللّيْلِ لِمْ

أرْعَيْتَني الفَرْقَدَا

أرْعَيْتَني الفَرْقَدَا

O Farqad of the night, why

O sleep of night, why didst thou yearn

have you made me keep watch on Farqad?

My rest away from me to turn?

اليَومَ تَجفو فَهَل

اليَومَ تَجفو فَهَل

تَجفو التّجافي غدا

تَجفو التّجافي غدا

Today you shun me—so will you

Today aloof thy glances fall:

shun estrangement tomorrow?

Can glances too be fickle all?

جَميلَةٌ سَيفُها قَد

جَميلَةٌ سَيفُها قَد

سُقِيَ المرْقِدا

سُقِيَ المرْقِدا

A beauty—her sword has already

A sword is she, her charms unfurled

been steeped in a soporific;

Stir men to strife about the world:

فَالحَيْفُ وَالحَتْفُ إِنْ

فَالحَيْفُ وَالحَتْفُ إِنْ

أُغْمِدَ أو جُرِّدا

أُغْمِدَ أو جُرِّدا

so injustice and death await, whether

Sheathed or unsheathed its deadly gleam,

it is sheathed or drawn.

'Tis blood and wounds her smiles do stream!