جثا لديها وأذرى الدمع ناظره

وعاتَبَتها بأن قالت محاجره

He knelt before her as tears filled his eyes,

And reproached her, saying:

يا دلّ هذا الهوى إن كان أوّله

ما قد رأيتِ فدُلِّى كيف آخره

"Oh heart, is this love - if it started like this,

Have you not seen? So guide me, how will it end?"

وعدت بالقلب ملكا ليس يملكه

وليس تبلغه يوما عساكره

I had promised you my heart, a king none could possess,

Nor could armies reach, even one day.

هبيه قمبيز أو قيروش والده

فإن تيمان يوم الروع قاهرة

Give it to Habib al-Qimr or Qayrawan and his father,

For the hosts of Taiman are victorious in fright.

فأطرقت خجلا من عتبه وجرى

دمع الندامة لا ترقا بوادره

So she bowed her head in shame at his reproach,

And tears of regret flowed, uncontrollably.

تقبل الرأس من تيمان تائبة

عن ذنبها وحبيب القلب غافره

She accepted the head of repentant Taiman

For her sin, and her loving heart forgave her.

كأنما فمها في شعر عاشقها

خمر يخامرها مسك تخامره

As if her mouth, in the poetry of her lover,

Was wine intoxicating her, musk intoxicating him.

تقول تيمان ماذا كنتُ صانعة

وهل يردّ قضاء الله حاذره

Taiman says: "What could I have done?

Can the decree of God be resisted by the cautious?

لكُم لدىّ هوى والقلب حافظه

وللبلاد هوى والقلب ناصره

For you I have love, and my heart is its keeper,

And for my country I have love, and my heart its supporter.

إن لم يكن وطن لي في الهوى ولكم

فأي دوح الهوى تأوي طوائره

If I have no homeland in love for you and for them,

Then what bosom of love shelters its birds?"