كَيفَ أَغوَيتني وَأَمعَنت صَدا

كَيفَ أَغوَيتني وَأَمعَنت صَدا

يا حَبيبياً أَعطى قَليلاً وَأَكدى

يا حَبيبياً أَعطى قَليلاً وَأَكدى

How you beguiled me, then persisted in turning away,

How you seduced me and were harshly aloof,

O beloved who gave a little and then withheld!

My darling who gave so little yet took so much.

وَدَّ قَلبي لَو يَجهل الحُب لَما

وَدَّ قَلبي لَو يَجهل الحُب لَما

أَن رَآه يَحول سَقماً وَوَجدا

أَن رَآه يَحول سَقماً وَوَجدا

My heart wished it knew nothing of love when

My heart wished ignorance of love, if it were to

it saw love turn to sickness and yearning.

See how it brings sickness and torment as such.

وَشَكَت أَضلُعي مِن القَلب ناراً

وَشَكَت أَضلُعي مِن القَلب ناراً

هَل عَهدن الهَوى سَلاماً وَبَردا

هَل عَهدن الهَوى سَلاماً وَبَردا

And my ribs complained of fire from the heart;

My ribs complained of the heart's fiery ache.

have they ever known love as peace and coolness?

Did we ever know love to be peaceful or cold?

طَلَعَ الفَجر باسِماً فَتَأمل

طَلَعَ الفَجر باسِماً فَتَأمل

بِنُجوم الدُجى تَرنّحُ سهدا

بِنُجوم الدُجى تَرنّحُ سهدا

Dawn rose smiling; so look

Dawn rose smiling, so gaze

at the stars of night, swaying sleeplessly.

At the stars of dusk whimpering as they fold.

هِيَ مثلي حيرى وَعَما قَريب

هِيَ مثلي حيرى وَعَما قَريب

تَتَوارى مَع الظَلام وَتَهدا

تَتَوارى مَع الظَلام وَتَهدا

They are bewildered like me, and before long

Like me bewildered, not knowing what's near,

they will vanish with the darkness and grow still.

Hiding with darkness, resting assured.

لَكَ حَمّلتها رِسالة شَوقٍ

لَكَ حَمّلتها رِسالة شَوقٍ

وَعِتاب أَظنها لا تَؤدى

وَعِتاب أَظنها لا تَؤدى

For you, I entrusted them with a message of longing

I charged it with a message of yearning

and reproach; I think it will not be delivered.

And reproach, which I think it won't convey.

قُلت للطَير حينض أَصبَحَ يَشدو

قُلت للطَير حينض أَصبَحَ يَشدو

أَيُّها الطَير عَم صَباحاً فَردّا

أَيُّها الطَير عَم صَباحاً فَردّا

I said to the bird as it began singing at dawn,

I said to the birds, as the dawn turned them singing:

'O bird, good morning!' And it replied.

"O birds, what a morning in chorus you relay!"

ثُمَ غَنى أُنشودة عَن حَبيب

ثُمَ غَنى أُنشودة عَن حَبيب

لَم يَكُن ظالِماً وَلا خان عَهدا

لَم يَكُن ظالِماً وَلا خان عَهدا

Then it sang a song about a beloved

Then sang a song about a lover

who had neither been cruel nor broken a pledge.

Who was no tyrant, never went back on his word.

أَضرم الذكريات بي ثُمَ وَلى

أَضرم الذكريات بي ثُمَ وَلى

لا رَماكَ الصَياد أَسرفت جدا

لا رَماكَ الصَياد أَسرفت جدا

It kindled memories within me, then turned away.

It ignited memories in me, then departed,

May the hunter never shoot you—you have gone much too far!

Not shot by a hunter - you sang quite absurd!

جَمعَ اللَهُ في مَحيا حَبيبي

جَمعَ اللَهُ في مَحيا حَبيبي

أُقحواناً وَياسميناً وَوَردا

أُقحواناً وَياسميناً وَوَردا

God gathered in my beloved's face

My darling's cheeks gathered violets, jasmine, and roses,

chrysanthemums, jasmine, and roses,

A smile that never leaves his lips

وَاِبتِساماً لا يَهجر الثَغر إِلّا

وَاِبتِساماً لا يَهجر الثَغر إِلّا

عِندَ قَولي لَهُ أَتنجز وَعدا

عِندَ قَولي لَهُ أَتنجز وَعدا

and a smile that never leaves his lips except

Unless when I ask him to fulfill a promise.

when I ask him, 'Will you keep a promise?'

I knew no loyalty, no vow made anger eclipse

لا عَرَفتُ الوَفا وَلا كانَ وَعدٌ

لا عَرَفتُ الوَفا وَلا كانَ وَعدٌ

يَجعَل البَسمة الوَديعة حِقدا

يَجعَل البَسمة الوَديعة حِقدا

May I never know faithfulness, nor may there be a promise

That gentle, affable smile.

that turns the gentle smile into rancor.