وَيَأتي مِنَ الهِجرانِ زَلَّةُ مُدنَفٍ

وَيَأتي مِنَ الهِجرانِ زَلَّةُ مُدنَفٍ

فَأُعمِلُ في السُلوانِ فِكرَةَ عازِمِ

فَأُعمِلُ في السُلوانِ فِكرَةَ عازِمِ

And from estrangement comes a lovesick man's lapse.

The estrangement brought about a stumbling lover

So I turn a resolute man's thoughts toward forgetting.

So I engaged my resolute thoughts in yearning

ذُنوبُ مَليحِ الوَجهِ غَيرُ قَبيحَةٍ

ذُنوبُ مَليحِ الوَجهِ غَيرُ قَبيحَةٍ

وَمِن عادَةِ العُشّاقِ شَحذُ العَزائِمِ

وَمِن عادَةِ العُشّاقِ شَحذُ العَزائِمِ

The sins of one fair of face are not ugly.

The sins of a beautiful faced one are not ugly

And lovers are wont to sharpen their resolve.

And it is the lovers' way to sharpen their resolve

وَسَرَّحتُ في مَرآكَ مُقلَةَ ناظِري

وَسَرَّحتُ في مَرآكَ مُقلَةَ ناظِري

لَقَد طالَ قَرعي بَعدَها سِنَّ نادِمِ

لَقَد طالَ قَرعي بَعدَها سِنَّ نادِمِ

And I let my eye wander over the sight of you.

I let my gaze wander in your mirrors

Indeed, afterward I long kept tapping my tooth in regret.

How long has my regret lasted since then, like a repentant sinner

سَلوا عَن مُحِبٍّ باعَ قَلباً بِنَظرَةٍ

سَلوا عَن مُحِبٍّ باعَ قَلباً بِنَظرَةٍ

أَيُمضى عَلَيهِ البَيعُ ضَربَةَ لازِمِ

أَيُمضى عَلَيهِ البَيعُ ضَربَةَ لازِمِ

Ask about a lover who sold his heart for a glance:

Ask about a lover who sold his heart for a glance

Is the sale to be enforced upon him as a binding bargain?

Did the sale go through binding him like an obligation?

وَكُنتُ سَديدَ الرَأيِ صَعباً عَلى الهَوى

وَكُنتُ سَديدَ الرَأيِ صَعباً عَلى الهَوى

فَفيكَ هَفا حِلمي وَلانَت شَكائِمي

فَفيكَ هَفا حِلمي وَلانَت شَكائِمي

And I was sound in judgment, unyielding to passion.

I was strong in reason, difficult for passion

So because of you my reason faltered, and my bridle-bits softened.

But in you, my forbearance fell weak and my determination softened