فَتَنَتْني بدَلِّها

فَتَنَتْني بدَلِّها

ظَبْيَةٌ لم تَحَرّجِ

ظَبْيَةٌ لم تَحَرّجِ

She bewitched me with her coy charm,

She enthralled me with her gown,

a gazelle who felt no scruples.

A gazelle, unabashed,

أَقْبَلَتْ ثُمَّ عَرْجَتْ

أَقْبَلَتْ ثُمَّ عَرْجَتْ

لَيْتَهَا لم تُعَرّجِ

لَيْتَهَا لم تُعَرّجِ

She approached, then turned aside;

She strode nearer, then pranced away—

if only she had not turned aside.

Would she had not turned aside!

ثم جاءَتْ لِمَأْتَمَ

ثم جاءَتْ لِمَأْتَمَ

آهِ مِنْ ذلِكَ المَجِي

آهِ مِنْ ذلِكَ المَجِي

Then she came to a mourning gathering—

Then she came to a gathering;

ah, that arrival!

Ah, that fateful union!

في حدادٍ كَأَنَّما

في حدادٍ كَأَنَّما

وردةٌ في بَنَفْسَجِ

وردةٌ في بَنَفْسَجِ

In mourning, as though she were

In mourning clothes, as though

a rose among violets.

A rose amid violets.