فَتكاتُ عَينكِ أَم مَراشِفُ فيكِ

فَتكاتُ عَينكِ أَم مَراشِفُ فيكِ

ذَهَبَت بِعَقلِ خَليلكِ المَشبوكِ

ذَهَبَت بِعَقلِ خَليلكِ المَشبوكِ

Was it your eye's deadly assaults, or the lips of your mouth,

Are your glances daggers, or downy pillows within you?

That robbed your ensnared lover of his reason?

They have stolen the mind of your infatuated lover.

ما كُنتُ قَبلَ هَواكِ أَعرَفُ سَكرَةً

ما كُنتُ قَبلَ هَواكِ أَعرَفُ سَكرَةً

تَنفي الهُدى وَالرُشد لا وَابيكِ

تَنفي الهُدى وَالرُشد لا وَابيكِ

Before I loved you, I knew no intoxication

Before your love I never knew such intoxication

That banishes guidance and sound judgment—no, by your father!

That denies guidance and reason, unwilling to obey you.

وَمِن العَجائب أَنَّني حال الهَوى

وَمِن العَجائب أَنَّني حال الهَوى

أَدري مَكانَكِ قادِراً آتيكِ

أَدري مَكانَكِ قادِراً آتيكِ

And one wonder is that, in love, I

And of the wonders is that in love's thrall,

Know where you are and can come to you.

I know where you are, able to come to you.

سَلَبوكِ مِن كَفي وَجَدوا في السَرى

سَلَبوكِ مِن كَفي وَجَدوا في السَرى

شَلَّ الحُسامُ أَكُفَّ مِن سَلَبوكِ

شَلَّ الحُسامُ أَكُفَّ مِن سَلَبوكِ

They stole you from my hand and hurried through the night;

They took you from my hands and found resolve weakened;

May the sword cripple the hands of those who stole you!

The sword was blunted, my palms too weak to retrieve you.

وَجَلوك عَن بُعدٍ فَهَبَت نَخوَتي

وَجَلوك عَن بُعدٍ فَهَبَت نَخوَتي

حَتّى إِذا أَدرَكتُهُم مَنَعوكِ

حَتّى إِذا أَدرَكتُهُم مَنَعوكِ

And they unveiled you from afar, so my chivalry stirred,

They distanced you far away so my pride rose up

Until, when I caught up with them, they kept you from me.

Until when I caught up with them, they refused you to me.

وَحَموكِ لَيسَ بِصارِمٍ لَكِنَّهُم

وَحَموكِ لَيسَ بِصارِمٍ لَكِنَّهُم

بِنِبال لَحظاتِ الرَقيبِ حَموكِ

بِنِبال لَحظاتِ الرَقيبِ حَموكِ

And they guarded you—not with a sharp sword, but

They protected you, not with a drawn sword, but

With the arrows of the watcher's glances they guarded you.

With the arrows of the watchman's suspecting glances they shielded you.

وَاللَهُ ما مِنهم مَنَعتُ مَخافَةً لَكن

وَاللَهُ ما مِنهم مَنَعتُ مَخافَةً لَكن

مَخافة شامِتٍ يَشنوكِ

مَخافة شامِتٍ يَشنوكِ

By God, I did not hold back for fear of them, but

By God, none of them prevented me out of fear, but

For fear of a gloater who hates you.

Fear of a gloating critic to malign you.

ما أَنتِ صائِدَةِ الأُسود بِنَظرَةٍ

ما أَنتِ صائِدَةِ الأُسود بِنَظرَةٍ

تُدمى فَكَيفَ ثَعالِبٌ صادوكِ

تُدمى فَكَيفَ ثَعالِبٌ صادوكِ

Are you not a huntress of lions, with a glance

You are no huntress of lions with a mere glance

That draws blood? How, then, did foxes capture you?

So how could jackals possibly hunt you?

خافوا عَلَيكِ فَخوَّفوكِ مِن السوى

خافوا عَلَيكِ فَخوَّفوكِ مِن السوى

لَما تَزايد خَوفَكِ اِتَهموكِ

لَما تَزايد خَوفَكِ اِتَهموكِ

They feared for you, so made you fear others;

They feared for you so frightened you away from passion

When your fear grew, they accused you.

When your own fear increased, they blamed you,

إِن يَتَهِموكِ فَما خَليلكِ ساقِطٌ

إِن يَتَهِموكِ فَما خَليلكِ ساقِطٌ

لَكِنَهُ الصَبُّ الخَليقُ بِفيكِ

لَكِنَهُ الصَبُّ الخَليقُ بِفيكِ

If they accuse you, your lover is not base;

If they blame you, your lover is no fallen one,

Rather, he is the ardent lover worthy of your mouth.

But raging passion befits you.

وَكَأَنَّهُم راموا عَذابَكِ حَيثُما

وَكَأَنَّهُم راموا عَذابَكِ حَيثُما

بِسهام طَيشِ ظَنونهم رَشَقوكِ

بِسهام طَيشِ ظَنونهم رَشَقوكِ

And it is as though they sought to torment you wherever

It's as if they sought to torment you wherever

They pelted you with arrows of their reckless suspicions.

With the arrows of their whims they pelted you.

هَل أَنتِ مُلكهُم المُقيم برقهم

هَل أَنتِ مُلكهُم المُقيم برقهم

وَاللَه ما بِأَكُفِهم جَبَلوكِ

وَاللَه ما بِأَكُفِهم جَبَلوكِ

Are you their property, abiding in their bondage?

Are you their treasure kept safe by their vigilance?

By God, they did not mold you with their own hands.

By God, their palms did not shape you.

لَكنَّ ضعفاً في فُؤادِكَ يَقتَضي

لَكنَّ ضعفاً في فُؤادِكَ يَقتَضي

التَسليم ذُلّاً لِلأُولى حَجَبوكِ

التَسليم ذُلّاً لِلأُولى حَجَبوكِ

But a weakness in your heart demands

Rather, weakness in your heart necessitated

Submission, in humiliation, to those who secluded you.

Submitting resignedly to the first to veil you.

أَمميتةَ الدَنفِ المُصابِ بِسَيرِها

أَمميتةَ الدَنفِ المُصابِ بِسَيرِها

هَلا التفتِّ لِخلكِ المَتروكِ

هَلا التفتِّ لِخلكِ المَتروكِ

O slayer of the lovesick one, stricken by her departure,

You straying gazelle, wounded mid-stride,

Why have you not turned to your forsaken lover?

Why not turn to your neglected fold?

حَجَزوكِ ما حَجَزوا عُيونَكِ أَنَّها

حَجَزوكِ ما حَجَزوا عُيونَكِ أَنَّها

حَرَكاتِها تَجري بِدونِ شَريكِ

حَرَكاتِها تَجري بِدونِ شَريكِ

They confined you, but did not confine your eyes, for

They confined you - no, they confined your eyes

Their movements flow without a partner.

Whose motions flow without a partner.

ما حالَ ذياك القِوام وَما اِنَجَلى

ما حالَ ذياك القِوام وَما اِنَجَلى

لِنِظام لُؤلؤِ ثَغرِكِ المَحبوكِ

لِنِظام لُؤلؤِ ثَغرِكِ المَحبوكِ

What of that figure, and what has come to light

What of your slender waist, and the orderly grace

Of the close-woven string of pearls in your mouth?

Of your mouth's pearl necklace, interwoven?

ما حالُ وَرد الخَد ظَلَّ بِنَضرَةٍ

ما حالُ وَرد الخَد ظَلَّ بِنَضرَةٍ

فَالشَوك ظَلَّ بِقَلبيَ المَضنوكِ

فَالشَوك ظَلَّ بِقَلبيَ المَضنوكِ

How fares the rose of your cheek? It has kept its freshness;

What of your rose-cheek that stayed verdant

For the thorn has remained in my anguished heart.

While thorns stayed stabbing this anguished heart?

ما حالُ معصَمكِ الَّذي فارَقتُهُ

ما حالُ معصَمكِ الَّذي فارَقتُهُ

يَسبي النُهى بِلجينهِ المَسبوكِ

يَسبي النُهى بِلجينهِ المَسبوكِ

How fares your wrist, which I left

What of your wrist I parted from,

Captivating minds with its cast silver?

Seducing propriety with its smooth roundness?

هَل دامَ قَلبُكِ حافِظاً لِعُهودِهِ

هَل دامَ قَلبُكِ حافِظاً لِعُهودِهِ

فَعَلى فُؤادي الحُبُّ خَطَّ صُكوكي

فَعَلى فُؤادي الحُبُّ خَطَّ صُكوكي

Has your heart remained faithful to its pledges?

Does your heart remain faithful to its vows?

For love has inscribed my bonds upon my heart.

For upon my heart love has marked its contracts.

هَل تَذكُرينَ عُهودَنا يَومَ الوَغى

هَل تَذكُرينَ عُهودَنا يَومَ الوَغى

وَالأَرضُ تَجفل للدم المَسفوكِ

وَالأَرضُ تَجفل للدم المَسفوكِ

Do you remember our pledges on the day of battle,

Do you remember our vows on the day of strife

While the earth recoiled at the spilled blood,

As the earth shuddered with spilled blood?

وَالشَمسُ مُظِلِمَةٌ وَوَجهُكِ باسِمٌ

وَالشَمسُ مُظِلِمَةٌ وَوَجهُكِ باسِمٌ

وَالناسُ تَظمَأ وَالهَنا يَرويكِ

وَالناسُ تَظمَأ وَالهَنا يَرويكِ

And the sun was dark, while your face was smiling,

The sun was darkened, your face smiling,

And people thirsted, while joy quenched your thirst?

People thirsted, while we quenched you.

يَومٌ بِهِ اِختَلَسَت جَوارِحُنا المُنى

يَومٌ بِهِ اِختَلَسَت جَوارِحُنا المُنى

لَما أَحاطَ الهَول في ناديكِ

لَما أَحاطَ الهَول في ناديكِ

A day when our senses stole what they longed for,

A day in which we stole bliss while doom

When terror closed in around your gathering-place.

Encompassed your gathering place.

بي كُنتِ لاهِيَةً وَكانَ الخَطبُ في

بي كُنتِ لاهِيَةً وَكانَ الخَطبُ في

الآفاقِ يُلهي عَنكِ مِن رَقبوكِ

الآفاقِ يُلهي عَنكِ مِن رَقبوكِ

You were engrossed in me, while disaster across

I was heedless while calamity abroad

The horizons distracted those watching you from you.

Distracted you from remembering your vows.

نَنَسى مَواقِعُنا وَنَهزَأُ بِالمَلا

نَنَسى مَواقِعُنا وَنَهزَأُ بِالمَلا

وَتَرى عَبوس الدَهر ثَغر ضَحوكِ

وَتَرى عَبوس الدَهر ثَغر ضَحوكِ

We forget our places and scoff at the crowd,

We forgot our positions and scoffed at kings,

And you see time's scowl as a laughing mouth.

And you saw fate's frown turn to laughter.

ما لي وَما لِلنازِلات إِذا بَدا

ما لي وَما لِلنازِلات إِذا بَدا

كَفي بِكَفكِ وَالعُلى حاميكِ

كَفي بِكَفكِ وَالعُلى حاميكِ

What care I for calamities, when

What is mine and the fates' if your palm appears?

My hand appears in yours, and glory guards you?

Yours suffices me, the Most High protects you.

أَسَفا فَكفكِ لا سَبيل لِلَمسِهِ

أَسَفا فَكفكِ لا سَبيل لِلَمسِهِ

بَعدَ التَحجُب حَيثَما أَخفوكِ

بَعدَ التَحجُب حَيثَما أَخفوكِ

Alas, there is no way to touch your hand

Alas your palm is unreachable, veiled as you are

After your seclusion, wherever they hid you.

Wherever they have hidden you.

أَدعوكِ لا أَدعوكِ دَعوَةَ طامِعٍ

أَدعوكِ لا أَدعوكِ دَعوَةَ طامِعٍ

لَكنما صَوتُ الرَجا يَدعوكِ

لَكنما صَوتُ الرَجا يَدعوكِ

I call you—not with the call of one who covets;

I call you, not a hopeful supplicant's call,

But only the voice of hope calls you.

But the voice of hope that calls you.

قَطع الرَجا لَكنَّ تَخليد الهَوى

قَطع الرَجا لَكنَّ تَخليد الهَوى

طَي الحَشا يَقضي بِأَن أَرجوكِ

طَي الحَشا يَقضي بِأَن أَرجوكِ

Hope is cut off, yet the perpetuation of love

Hope is cut off, but immortal love

Within my breast decrees that I hope for you.

Commands I still desire you.

وَأَرى بِذاتكِ لا مُجيباً لِلهَوى كَلا

وَأَرى بِذاتكِ لا مُجيباً لِلهَوى كَلا

وَلا مَنعاً لِمَن يَقفوكِ

وَلا مَنعاً لِمَن يَقفوكِ

And I see in you no response to love—no,

And I see you - neither answering passion - no,

Nor any rejection of those who pursue you.

Nor preventing whoever seeks you.

فَإِذا اِبتَعَدتُ أَعدُّ عِندَكَ مُجرِماً

فَإِذا اِبتَعَدتُ أَعدُّ عِندَكَ مُجرِماً

وَإِذا دَنَوتُ أَرى النفار يَليكِ

وَإِذا دَنَوتُ أَرى النفار يَليكِ

So if I draw away, I am counted a criminal in your eyes,

So when I withdraw, a criminal in your eyes,

And if I come near, I see aversion beside you.

And when I approach, I see aloofness garb you.

قَد حِرتُ في طُرقِ السلو مخيباً

قَد حِرتُ في طُرقِ السلو مخيباً

بِاللَهِ سُؤلي ما الَّذي يَرضيكِ

بِاللَهِ سُؤلي ما الَّذي يَرضيكِ

I am bewildered, thwarted, on the paths to forgetting;

I am confused which manner of asking pleases you -

By God, my question is: what would please you?

By God, ask me - what satisfies you?

بِكِ حُرقَتي وَلهي وَحرّ صَبابَتي

بِكِ حُرقَتي وَلهي وَحرّ صَبابَتي

لَكِ مُهجَتي في مُهجَتي أَفديكِ

لَكِ مُهجَتي في مُهجَتي أَفديكِ

Because of you come my burning anguish, my yearning, and my passion's heat;

For you I burned, delighted, stirred by passion;

My lifeblood is yours; with my lifeblood I ransom you.

To you my rapture, my soul I sacrifice.

إِن كانَ قَد مَنعَ اللُقا فَتحيَّةٌ

إِن كانَ قَد مَنعَ اللُقا فَتحيَّةٌ

مِن فيكِ تَنعشني وَسَعدي فيكِ

مِن فيكِ تَنعشني وَسَعدي فيكِ

If meeting has indeed been forbidden, then a greeting

If meeting is forbidden, a greeting

From your mouth revives me, and my happiness lies in you.

From your heart revives me, I'm happy through you.