بَرَزَتْ وأترابٌ لها عُرُبٌ

بَرَزَتْ وأترابٌ لها عُرُبٌ

فَجَعَلْتُ أصْرِفُ نَحْوَهَا النّظَرَا

فَجَعَلْتُ أصْرِفُ نَحْوَهَا النّظَرَا

She came forth with amorous companions her own age.

She appeared with companions, for her are suitors

So I began turning my gaze toward her.

So I began to turn my gaze towards her

كلٌّ يُقَدِّرُ أنْ أَمْلِكَهُ

كلٌّ يُقَدِّرُ أنْ أَمْلِكَهُ

والله يعلمُ مَنْ لنا قُدِرَا

والله يعلمُ مَنْ لنا قُدِرَا

Each expects that I will own her,

Each thinks that I will possess her

and God knows who was destined for us.

And God knows who is destined for us

فَتَرَكْتُهُنَّ ومِلْتُ حيث رأَيْ

فَتَرَكْتُهُنَّ ومِلْتُ حيث رأَيْ

تُ القلبَ مالَ ووجّهَ البَصَرا

تُ القلبَ مالَ ووجّهَ البَصَرا

So I left them and turned where I saw

So I left them and inclined where I saw

the heart incline and direct my gaze.

The heart lean and the eyes gaze

وَكَسَبْتُها عمداً بلا تِرَةِ

وَكَسَبْتُها عمداً بلا تِرَةِ

إلاّ هَوايَ ومثلُهُ وُتِرَا

إلاّ هَوايَ ومثلُهُ وُتِرَا

And I won her deliberately, with no offense

And I gained her intentionally without hesitation

save my love—and its like was wronged.

Except my passion and the like are strings

هي بَدْرُهُنّ وَهُنّ أنْجُمُهَا

هي بَدْرُهُنّ وَهُنّ أنْجُمُهَا

فَعَلاَمَ لا أتَخَيّرُ القَمَرَا

فَعَلاَمَ لا أتَخَيّرُ القَمَرَا

She is their full moon, and they are her stars;

She is their full moon and they are her stars

so why should I not choose the moon?

So why would I not choose the moon

لكن مالكَهَا يُعَنّفُنِي

لكن مالكَهَا يُعَنّفُنِي

وَأَسَاء حُكْماً فيَّ إذ قَدَرَا

وَأَسَاء حُكْماً فيَّ إذ قَدَرَا

But her owner rebukes me,

But her owner chastises me

and judged me unjustly when he had the power.

And judged poorly about me when he decided

فالدَّمْعُ يَذْرُفُ والفؤاد غدا

فالدَّمْعُ يَذْرُفُ والفؤاد غدا

فيه لهِيْبُ الشَّوْقِ فاسْتَعَرَا

فيه لهِيْبُ الشَّوْقِ فاسْتَعَرَا

So tears stream, and the heart now holds

So tears flow and the heart tomorrow

longing's flame within it, so it blazes.

In it the flames of longing flared up

لا حسرةً بل رحمةً لِرَشاً

لا حسرةً بل رحمةً لِرَشاً

أورثْتُهُ الأحزانَ والفِكْرَا

أورثْتُهُ الأحزانَ والفِكْرَا

Not from regret, but from pity for a fawn

Not with regret but mercy for a youth

to whom I bequeathed sorrows and brooding.

I bequeathed him sorrows and thoughts

أما النهارُ فحائِرٌ قَلِقٌ

أما النهارُ فحائِرٌ قَلِقٌ

والليلُ فِيْهِ يَكَابِدُ السَّهَرا

والليلُ فِيْهِ يَكَابِدُ السَّهَرا

By day he is bewildered and restless,

As for the day it is anxious and restless

and at night he struggles with sleeplessness.

And the night in it suffers from sleeplessness

مترقِبٌ يَرْجُو مُعَاوَدَتي

مترقِبٌ يَرْجُو مُعَاوَدَتي

أفدِيْهِ مُنْتَظِراً ومُنْتَظِرا

أفدِيْهِ مُنْتَظِراً ومُنْتَظِرا

Watchful, he hopes for my return;

Awaiting, hoping for my return

may I be his ransom, as he waits and waits.

I sacrifice myself awaiting and awaited

ويرى شماتَةَ لا زِلْتُ عن طَلَبي

ويرى شماتَةَ لا زِلْتُ عن طَلَبي

إياه حتى أرْزُقُ الظَّفَرَا

إياه حتى أرْزُقُ الظَّفَرَا

And he sees gloating—may I never desist from seeking

And sees the gloating that I ceased from pursuing

him until I am granted victory.

Him until I gain victory