أراق دمي جراز جفون هند

أراق دمي جراز جفون هند

كذاك السيف يقطع وهو هندي

كذاك السيف يقطع وهو هندي

The keen blade of Hind's eyelids shed my blood.

My blood flowed from the wounds of Hind's eyelids,

Thus does a sword cut, being Indian.

Thus does the sword cut, though it be Indian,

تقلد من لواحظه حساماً

تقلد من لواحظه حساماً

رهيف الحد مصقول الفرند

رهيف الحد مصقول الفرند

He girded himself with a sword of his sidelong glances,

Girded with a sword whose sharp edge is polished Andamanese steel,

fine-edged, its watered pattern burnished.

When the breeze blows through his flowing locks,

إذا عبث النسيم بوفرتيه

إذا عبث النسيم بوفرتيه

شممتُ بجعده نفحات رند

شممتُ بجعده نفحات رند

When the breeze played with his two tresses,

I scent the fragrance of a handsome vagabond,

I breathed in wafts of laurel from his curls.

Though against my will I gave him lodging,

برغمي أن أودعه سحيرا

برغمي أن أودعه سحيرا

وقلبي عنده والجسم عندي

وقلبي عنده والجسم عندي

Against my will, I bid him farewell just before dawn,

While my heart is with him and my body with me,

while my heart is with him and my body with me.

And many a night we spent embraced,

وكم ليل قضيناه اعتناقاً

وكم ليل قضيناه اعتناقاً

فماً لمٍ وخدّاً فوق خدِّ

فماً لمٍ وخدّاً فوق خدِّ

And how many a night we spent embracing,

Mouth to mouth and cheek atop cheek,

mouth to mouth, and cheek upon cheek.

I flirt with the gazelles in his margins,

أغازل في حواشيه غزالا

أغازل في حواشيه غزالا

أتيلعَ ريعَ من تلعات نجدِ

أتيلعَ ريعَ من تلعات نجدِ

In its folds I woo a gazelle,

Sporting about the meadows of Nejd,

small and slender-necked, startled from Najd's heights.

But when the hand of time crept over

أما وعقارب الصدغين دبَّت

أما وعقارب الصدغين دبَّت

بخدّ منه قاني اللوني وردي

بخدّ منه قاني اللوني وردي

Ah, by the scorpions of his temples as they crept

His cheek, whose hue was mine, pink and rosy,

over his cheek, crimson-hued and rosy,

And when the smiles on his lips softened And faded,

وبيض مباسم رقَّت فخفَّت

وبيض مباسم رقَّت فخفَّت

بسود معقص العذبات جعدِ

بسود معقص العذبات جعدِ

and by white smiling mouths that grew delicate and light,

Black as the plaits of his musky ringlets,

with black curls braided at their tips—

Then there was nothing I loved more Than that I ransom him - O ransomed one!

فماشيء أحبّ إليّ من أن

فماشيء أحبّ إليّ من أن

أفدّيه ويا ذلَّ المفدّي

أفدّيه ويا ذلَّ المفدّي

nothing is dearer to me than to

Let no critic blame our necking,

ransom him—and oh, the ransomer's abasement!

Claiming sober sense will aid,

ولا ئمة تلوم على التصابي

ولا ئمة تلوم على التصابي

وتزعم أن نصح الصبّ يجدي

وتزعم أن نصح الصبّ يجدي

And a reproving woman chides me for youthful dalliance,

Turn from me your blame, leave me

and claims that advising the lovesick lover avails.

A youth whose meadow the bulbul haunts,

وعدِّ اللوم عاذلتي وخلي

وعدِّ اللوم عاذلتي وخلي

فتىً جمَّ البلابل من معدِّ

فتىً جمَّ البلابل من معدِّ

And set reproach aside, my reprover, and leave alone

For the camels of passion marched on,

a youth of Maʿadd, full of sorrows.

Bearing a heart-sick lover's zeal and fervor.

فما جدّت مطايا الشوق إلا

فما جدّت مطايا الشوق إلا

وآب بها حليف جوى ووجدِ

وآب بها حليف جوى ووجدِ

For longing's mounts never hastened onward without

a companion of heartache and yearning returning with them.