ياAh حَبَّذاhow lovely مَيُّMayy منas a ظبيٍgazelle اذاwhen نَفَرتshe took fright
يا حَبَّذا مَيُّ من ظبيٍ اذا نَفَرت
وَحَبَّذاand how lovely ميُّMayy منas a غصنٍbough اذاwhen خطرتshe walked with a sway
وَحَبَّذا ميُّ من غصنٍ اذا خطرت
Ah, how lovely is Mayy, a gazelle when she takes fright!
How excellent is the water from a fleeing gazelle when it springs away,
And how lovely is Mayy, a bough when she walks with a sway!
And how excellent is the water from a waving branch when it sways.
وَحبذاand how lovely وجههاher face الباهيradiant الَّذيwhich كُتِبتwere written
وَحبذا وجهها الباهي الَّذي كُتِبت
فيهِin it رموزٌsigns لاهلfor the people of العشقlove قدalready سُطرتwere inscribed
فيهِ رموزٌ لاهل العشق قد سُطرت
And how lovely her radiant face, upon which were written
And how excellent is her radiant face on which
signs for lovers, already inscribed.
Signs for lovers have been written and lined.
وَحبذاand how lovely خدّهاher cheek القانيcrimson ووردتهُand its rose
وَحبذا خدّها القاني ووردتهُ
اذاwhen ذوىwithered فيin روضthe garden of الحياmodesty نضرتgrew fresh
اذا ذوى في روض الحيا نضرت
And how lovely her crimson cheek and its rose:
And how excellent are her soft cheeks and rosebuds
when it fades in modesty's garden, its rose grows fresh.
When they glow in the meadow of life and blossom.
ياO وردةًrose كلماwhenever اشتدَّintensified الظمآءُthirst بهاwithin it
يا وردةً كلما اشتدَّ الظمآءُ بها
منfrom نارthe fire of حسنٍbeauty ذكتblazed فيin خدّهاher cheek ازدهرتit blossomed
من نار حسنٍ ذكت في خدّها ازدهرت
O rose that, whenever thirst grows fierce within it
O rose, whenever the thirst intensifies in it
from beauty's fire blazing in her cheek, bursts into bloom!
From the fire of beauty it kindles on her cheek and flourishes.
كَيفَhow السلوَّsolace; forgetting love وَنَفسيand my soul كلماwhenever قنعتwas content
كَيفَ السلوَّ وَنَفسي كلما قنعت
بِهِwith it اتىcame آمرُthe commander of الاشواقlongings فائتمرتso it obeyed
بِهِ اتى آمرُ الاشواق فائتمرت
How can I find solace, when, whenever my soul is content
How can I find peace when my soul, whenever content
with it, longing's commander arrives, and my soul obeys?
With it, the commander of passions comes and commands.
وكلماand whenever رامsought طَرفيmy gaze انto يُحبَّlove سوىًanother
وكلما رام طَرفي ان يُحبَّ سوىً
نَهاهُforbade it ناهيthe restraining power of دموعٍtears فيin الغَرامpassionate love جرتflowed
نَهاهُ ناهي دموعٍ في الغَرام جرت
And whenever my gaze seeks to love another,
And whenever my gaze tries to love another,
the restraining power of tears shed in passion forbids it.
It is forbidden by the warner of tears that flowed in passion.
انif كنتُI was فيin القربnearness مشتاقاًyearning اليكِfor you تُرىI wonder
ان كنتُ في القرب مشتاقاً اليكِ تُرى
مَتىwhen تَكونwill be بلاwithout شوقٍlonging حَشاًa heart فُطرتwas fashioned
مَتى تَكون بلا شوقٍ حَشاً فُطرت
If I yearn for you even when you are near, I wonder:
If in nearness I long for you, will you ever
when can a heart so fashioned be without longing?
Be without longing, for separation you were created?
هَيهاتِfar from it ماnot بُعدseparation صبٍّa lovesick lover عنfrom حبيبتهِhis beloved
هَيهاتِ ما بُعد صبٍّ عن حبيبتهِ
الّاexcept اذwhen احتجبتshe veiled herself عنهُfrom him وَماand did not سَفرتshe unveiled her face
الّا اذ احتجبت عنهُ وَما سَفرت
Far from it! No lovesick man is far from his beloved,
Alas! No lover is ever far from his beloved
except when she veils herself from him and does not unveil.
Except when she is veiled from him and not traveled.
Sol 6.1