لا تَسَلني عن حبيبٍ

وعدُهُ ما عاد وعدا

Do not ask me about a beloved,

Whose promise is no longer a promise.

قد رماني ذا بسحرٍ

من عيونٍ فاستبدَّ

This one has struck me with a magic

From his eyes, and seized absolute control.

حينها حاولتُ بعداً

لم يكن لي منه بُدّا

At that moment, I attempted to pull away,

But there was no escape for me.

كم شكوتُ من عذابٍ

صار لي من بعدُ سُهْدا

How often I complained of an agony

That thereafter became my sleeplessness.

كلما ناشَدْتُ صَفْحاً

مال عنّي واستَلذَّ

Whenever I pleaded for clemency,

He turned away and relished my pain.

لو حَباني بعض حِلْمٍ

مَدَّ لي في العمر مَدّا

Had he bestowed upon me some gentleness,

It would have vastly prolonged my life.

ليتهُ أرضى فضولي

بلقاءٍ واستعَدَّ

If only he would satisfy my burning curiosity

With a meeting, preparing himself.

ثم يُبدي كل عطفٍ

لا يحاكي فيه نِدّا

Then he would reveal a boundless affection,

Unmatched by any peer.

لا تماطلْ وعْدَ قلبٍ

فسَقامي اليوم جَدَّ

Do not delay the promise to a heart,

For my malady today is severe.

دعْهُ يشقى من غرورٍ

إنَّ قلبي عنهُ صَدَّ

Let him suffer from his arrogance;

Indeed, my heart has turned away from him.

سوف يحيا في هَوانٍ

لا يرى للبؤس حَدّأ

He will live on in disgrace,

Seeing no limit to his misery.

هكذا أضْمَرْتُ يأسي

في سواد الليل قصْدا

Thus I concealed my despair,

Intentionally within the blackness of night.

سُقْتُ هَمّي، شطر قلبي

كيف أبغي منهُ بُعْدا

I drove my sorrow toward my heart;

How could I desire distance from him?

حِرْتُ في أمري فعِدْني

لو برأي حيثُ أهْدا

I am bewildered by my plight, so promise me,

Even with mere counsel, that I may find peace.

ثم نشدو، ثم نعدو

في رِحاب الحب نبْدا

Then we shall sing, then we shall run;

In the vast expanses of love, we begin.

لا نعاني كيد خصْمٍ

حينما نرجوه ودّا

Suffering no malice from a foe

Whenever we hope for affection.

دُمْ نديمي، كُنْ طبيبي

قد يكونُ الحظُّ سعْدا

Remain my companion, be my healer;

Perhaps fortune will turn joyful.

عندما يصفو هوانا

لا يُسَدُّ البابُ سَدّا

When our passion becomes pure,

The door shall not be firmly shut.