وَلَقَد ذَكَرتُكَ وَالصّوارمُ قَطّعَت

وَلَقَد ذَكَرتُكَ وَالصّوارمُ قَطّعَت

مِنّي الوَريدَ بِضَربِ عاتٍ ظالمِ

مِنّي الوَريدَ بِضَربِ عاتٍ ظالمِ

And indeed I remembered you as the keen swords severed

I remembered you as the swords were slashing

my jugular vein with an insolent oppressor's blow.

My wrists with oppressive blows

قَبلتها إِذ أَشبَهَت في بَرقِها

قَبلتها إِذ أَشبَهَت في بَرقِها

وَجَمالِ وَجهك بَرقَ فيكَ الباسِمِ

وَجَمالِ وَجهك بَرقَ فيكَ الباسِمِ

I kissed them, for in their gleam they resembled—

I kissed them for in their gleam

by the beauty of your face!—the flash of your smiling mouth.

They resembled the radiant light of your smile