غَزالٌ بِهِ فَترٌ وَفيهِ تَأَنُّثٌ

وَأَحسَنُ مَخلوقٍ وَأَجمَلُ مَن مَشى

A gazelle, in him there is weakness, and in him there is femininity

A gazelle with languid eyes and soft, delicate grace,

The most beautiful of creatures and the loveliest of those who walk

The finest of all creatures, the most beautiful to walk.

أَقولُ لَهُ يَوماً وَقَد شَفَّني الهَوى

أَطَلتَ عَذابي فيكَ يا خَيرُ مَن نَشا

I say to him one day, when love has made me suffer

I said to him one day, when passion had worn me thin,

You have prolonged my torment in you, O best of those who grew up

"You have prolonged my torment, O best of those created."

فَقالَ أَلَمّا يَأنِ أَن تَترُكَ الصَبا

وَما لَكَ يا هَذا وَما لي وَما تَشا

So he said, isn't it time you give up being young

He replied, "Has the time not come to abandon youthful folly?

And what is it to you, O this, and what is it to me, and what do you want

What is this to you—or me—and what is it you desire?"

فَقُلتُ لَهُ أَقصِر عَنِ اللَومِ سَيِّدي

فَمَن ذا يُطيقُ الصَبرَ عَن مُشبَهِ الرَشا

So I said to him, refrain from blaming my master

I said, "Refrain from blame, my master, I implore,

For who can endure patience from one who resembles a sprinkle of rain

For who can bear patience apart from one akin to the fawn?"

أَرى لَكَ وَجهاً فَتَّتَ القَلبَ حُسنُهُ

بِهِ يَنجَلي كَربي وَقَد يَنجَلي الغِشا

I see you have a face whose beauty has melted my heart

"I see a face whose beauty has crumbled my heart to dust,

With it my anxiety is removed and the cover may be removed

Dispelling my sorrow as it lifts the veil of gloom."

أَتَقتُلُني إِن قُلتُ إِنّي أُحِبُّكُم

وَلا ذَنبَ لي إِن كانَ في الناسِ قَد فَشا

Will you kill me if I say I love you

"Would you slay me if I confessed that I love you?

And I have no sin if it has spread among the people

I bear no sin if this secret has spread among the crowd."

كَتَمتُ الهَوى حَتّى أَضَرَّ بِمُهجَتي

وَكانَ الهَوى طِفلاً صَغيراً فَقَد نَشا

I concealed love until it harmed my brain

"I concealed this passion until it ravaged my very soul,

And love was a little child, and now it has grown

For love was once a mere child, but now has fully grown."

فَرَقَّ لِيَ المَولى فَفُزتُ بِمَوعِدٍ

وَقالَ انتَظِرني قَبلَ مُقتَبَلِ العِشا

So the Master had mercy on me and I won an appointment

My master then softened toward me, and I won a promise;

And he said wait for me before the approaching evening

He said, "Await me just before the coming of the night."