شَكَت مثلَ ذيّاك الجَبين فأَقبلت

شَكَت مثلَ ذيّاك الجَبين فأَقبلت

على مثل خدّيها من الثلج والجمرِ

على مثل خدّيها من الثلج والجمرِ

She complained of what resembled that brow, then turned

She complained of a forehead like yours, so I leaned

To what resembled her cheeks—snow and embers.

Toward cheeks like hers, of ice and embers.

فَقُلتُ لَها ليست لذلك حاجةٌ

فَقُلتُ لَها ليست لذلك حاجةٌ

فَذي نارُ قَلبي وَهوَ عندكِ في الخِدرِ

فَذي نارُ قَلبي وَهوَ عندكِ في الخِدرِ

So I said to her: There is no need for that;

I said to her, "There's no need for that -

For this is my heart's fire, and my heart is with you in the secluded chamber.

My heart holds fire, while with you it's in ashes."

وَيار نارَ قَلبي قد خبأتُكِ طيَّهُ

وَيار نارَ قَلبي قد خبأتُكِ طيَّهُ

الى مثل هَذا اليوم من قِدَم الدهرِ

الى مثل هَذا اليوم من قِدَم الدهرِ

And O fire of my heart, I have hidden you in its folds

Oh fire of my heart that I've kept secret

Until a day like this, since time immemorial.

Until this day throughout the ages -

حبستُكِ فيهِ حين لم تَكُ حاجةٌ

حبستُكِ فيهِ حين لم تَكُ حاجةٌ

اليكِ على ما بي لِذاكَ من الضَرِّ

اليكِ على ما بي لِذاكَ من الضَرِّ

I confined you within it when there was no need

I've held you back in it when there was no need

For you, despite the harm I suffered because of that,

For you against what was mine of harm.

مَخافةَ إِيذاءِ لها فاظهري إِذن

مَخافةَ إِيذاءِ لها فاظهري إِذن

عَلى قَدر ما تَحتاج من مُقتَضى الامرِ

عَلى قَدر ما تَحتاج من مُقتَضى الامرِ

For fear of harming her; so come forth, then,

Fearing hurting her, reveal yourself only

To the extent she needs, as the situation requires.

As much as the situation requires.

فَيا جمرُ ذَوِّب ذلك الثلج وافنِهِ

فَيا جمرُ ذَوِّب ذلك الثلج وافنِهِ

وَيا ثَلجُ لا تُخمِد لَهُ لَهَبَ الحَرِّ

وَيا ثَلجُ لا تُخمِد لَهُ لَهَبَ الحَرِّ

So, O embers, melt that snow and make it vanish;

So embers, melt that ice and destroy it!

And O snow, do not quench the flame of its heat.

And ice, don't extinguish the flame's heat!

هَنيئاً لِبَردٍ قَد أَلَمَّ بجسمها

هَنيئاً لِبَردٍ قَد أَلَمَّ بجسمها

وَقابلَهُ بَردُ الرُضاب منالثغرِ

وَقابلَهُ بَردُ الرُضاب منالثغرِ

How fortunate the chill that touched her body

Happy is the cold that's touched her body

And was met by the coolness of saliva from her mouth.

And met the cold of the cheeks and mouth.