أعلمت من هنَّا وهنَّا

أعلمت من هنَّا وهنَّا

أضنيتني حاشاك ضنا

أضنيتني حاشاك ضنا

Have you learned, from here and there,

I have learned from here and there

that you have made me waste away—may wasting spare you?

You have saddened me, far be it from you, sadness

قم فازجر الطير البوارح

قم فازجر الطير البوارح

سانحاً رشأً اغنَّا

سانحاً رشأً اغنَّا

Rise and drive off the ill-omened birds,

Arise and repel the predatory birds

as an auspicious, soft-voiced fawn.

With a flowing, melodious voice

واعتنَّ كالطيف الطروق

واعتنَّ كالطيف الطروق

بمقلة الصب المعنى

بمقلة الصب المعنى

And appear like a night-visiting phantom

And take care, like the gentle breeze

before the eye of the tormented lover.

Of the eyelash of youthful meaning

واهزز ليَ القد الرشيق

واهزز ليَ القد الرشيق

مثقف الانبوب لدنا

مثقف الانبوب لدنا

And sway your graceful figure for me,

And shake for me the slender, well-formed body

straight-shafted and supple.

Cultured and refined

ارعيك مني مقلة

ارعيك مني مقلة

واسدُّ عن واشيك اذنا

واسدُّ عن واشيك اذنا

I turn an eye of mine toward you,

Regard me with a eyelash

and close an ear to your slanderer.

And block your ear from hearing ill of me

واسرّح اللحظ الطموح

واسرّح اللحظ الطموح

بذلك الجعد المثنى

بذلك الجعد المثنى

And I let my eager gaze roam

And unleash the ambitious glance

through that folded, curly hair.

With those curled twin locks

آليت اقرب دانياً

آليت اقرب دانياً

او راشفاً من فيك دنّا

او راشفاً من فيك دنّا

I swore to approach, drawing near,

I have become the closest confidant

or sip a jarful of wine from your mouth.

Or the most compassionate towards your distress

واعضُّ فيك اناملا

واعضُّ فيك اناملا

صفرا تشير اليك غبنا

صفرا تشير اليك غبنا

And over you I bite my fingertips,

And I bite my fingers in you

empty, pointing toward you in frustration.

Yellow, pointing to you in sorrow

فلضلَّ من قد قاسني

فلضلَّ من قد قاسني

ولبانتي في قيس لبنى

ولبانتي في قيس لبنى

Then surely he erred who compared me

So he who has tested me has strayed

and my longing with Qays of Lubna,

And my affliction in Qais is evident

او بابن عجلان وإن

او بابن عجلان وإن

ورد الحمام وما تأنى

ورد الحمام وما تأنى

or with Ibn Ajlan, even though

Or Ibn 'Ajlan even if

he met death without delay.

The pigeons return and do not tire

حمَّلت قلبي ثقل ما

حمَّلت قلبي ثقل ما

قد خفَّ منها الطود وزنا

قد خفَّ منها الطود وزنا

You burdened my heart with a weight

I have burdened my heart with a weight

beside which a mighty mountain is light in weight.

Lighter than which is the mountain and heaviness

يشتق من معناك معنى ال

يشتق من معناك معنى ال

حسن لي لفظا ومعنى

حسن لي لفظا ومعنى

From your essence is drawn the meaning of

It derives from your meaning a meaning that

beauty for me, in word and meaning.

Is no fine expression or meaning for me

امَّا تراني ناحلاً

امَّا تراني ناحلاً

او خاضلاً بالدمع ردنا

او خاضلاً بالدمع ردنا

Do you not see me wasted,

Whether you see me conversing

or with my sleeve drenched in tears,

Or failing, with tears flowing

او رافعاً من ناظر

او رافعاً من ناظر

من كاسر بالغنج جفنا

من كاسر بالغنج جفنا

or lifting my gaze

Or raising from my eyes

from one who coyly lowers an eyelid?

Those broken by coquetry and sorrow

أمحمد قد راق شعرك

أمحمد قد راق شعرك

في الورى لفظا ومعنى

في الورى لفظا ومعنى

O Muhammad, your poetry has found favor

O Muhammad, your poetry is pleasing

among mankind, in word and meaning.

In the world, in expression and meaning

جاريت فيه زهيره

جاريت فيه زهيره

ولعزَّ فيه زهير خدنا

ولعزَّ فيه زهير خدنا

You rivaled its Zuhayr in it,

In it flow Zuhair

and Zuhayr was indeed a formidable peer in it.

And charm with coquetry, Zuhair's cheek

احرزت من قصباته

احرزت من قصباته

متفنناً فناً ففنا

متفنناً فناً ففنا

You won its reeds of victory,

From its canes I have gained

displaying mastery, art after art.

Artistry upon artistry

زدنا من النظم الذي

زدنا من النظم الذي

هو منقص بزياد زدنا

هو منقص بزياد زدنا

Give us more of the verse that

Increase for us from the poetry which

is diminished by increase—give us more!

Is deficient, with additions increase for us