كَيفَ أَغوَيتني وَأَمعَنت صَدا

يا حَبيبياً أَعطى قَليلاً وَأَكدى

How you seduced me and were harshly aloof,

My darling who gave so little yet took so much.

وَدَّ قَلبي لَو يَجهل الحُب لَما

أَن رَآه يَحول سَقماً وَوَجدا

My heart wished ignorance of love, if it were to

See how it brings sickness and torment as such.

وَشَكَت أَضلُعي مِن القَلب ناراً

هَل عَهدن الهَوى سَلاماً وَبَردا

My ribs complained of the heart's fiery ache.

Did we ever know love to be peaceful or cold?

طَلَعَ الفَجر باسِماً فَتَأمل

بِنُجوم الدُجى تَرنّحُ سهدا

Dawn rose smiling, so gaze

At the stars of dusk whimpering as they fold.

هِيَ مثلي حيرى وَعَما قَريب

تَتَوارى مَع الظَلام وَتَهدا

Like me bewildered, not knowing what's near,

Hiding with darkness, resting assured.

لَكَ حَمّلتها رِسالة شَوقٍ

وَعِتاب أَظنها لا تَؤدى

I charged it with a message of yearning

And reproach, which I think it won't convey.

قُلت للطَير حينض أَصبَحَ يَشدو

أَيُّها الطَير عَم صَباحاً فَردّا

I said to the birds, as the dawn turned them singing:

"O birds, what a morning in chorus you relay!"

ثُمَ غَنى أُنشودة عَن حَبيب

لَم يَكُن ظالِماً وَلا خان عَهدا

Then sang a song about a lover

Who was no tyrant, never went back on his word.

أَضرم الذكريات بي ثُمَ وَلى

لا رَماكَ الصَياد أَسرفت جدا

It ignited memories in me, then departed,

Not shot by a hunter - you sang quite absurd!

جَمعَ اللَهُ في مَحيا حَبيبي

أُقحواناً وَياسميناً وَوَردا

My darling's cheeks gathered violets, jasmine, and roses,

A smile that never leaves his lips

وَاِبتِساماً لا يَهجر الثَغر إِلّا

عِندَ قَولي لَهُ أَتنجز وَعدا

Unless when I ask him to fulfill a promise.

I knew no loyalty, no vow made anger eclipse

لا عَرَفتُ الوَفا وَلا كانَ وَعدٌ

يَجعَل البَسمة الوَديعة حِقدا

That gentle, affable smile.