أصَبْتَ بِالْعَيْنِ وَسِحْرِ الحَدَقْ

أصَبْتَ بِالْعَيْنِ وَسِحْرِ الحَدَقْ

يَا قَاتِلِي السحْرُ وَالْعَيْنُ حَقْ

يَا قَاتِلِي السحْرُ وَالْعَيْنُ حَقْ

You struck me with the evil eye and the magic of eyes.

You have struck with a glance and the magic of eyes,

O my slayer, magic and the evil eye are real.

O my killer, the magic and the evil eye are true,

أمَا كَفَى أجريتَ دَمْعِي دَمًا

أمَا كَفَى أجريتَ دَمْعِي دَمًا

حَتَّى كَسَوْتَ الجِسْمَ ثَوْبَ الأرَقْ

حَتَّى كَسَوْتَ الجِسْمَ ثَوْبَ الأرَقْ

Was it not enough that you made my tears flow as blood,

Have not my tears, that flowed as blood, sufficed

that you then clothed my body in the robe of sleeplessness?

That you have clothed my body in the garb of insomnia?

وَإنْ تَسَلْ عَمَّا جَرَى مَدْمَعِي

وَإنْ تَسَلْ عَمَّا جَرَى مَدْمَعِي

فَلاَ تَسَلْ يَا مَا جَرَى وَاتَّفَقْ

فَلاَ تَسَلْ يَا مَا جَرَى وَاتَّفَقْ

And if you ask why my tears flowed,

And if you ask about what my tears have wrought

then do not ask—oh, what has happened and befallen!

Then ask not, O you who brought this about.

لِلَّهِ دَمْعٌ سَائِلٌ مُخْبِرٌ

لِلَّهِ دَمْعٌ سَائِلٌ مُخْبِرٌ

أكْرِمْ بِهِ مِنْ سَائِلٍ إنْ صَدَقْ

أكْرِمْ بِهِ مِنْ سَائِلٍ إنْ صَدَقْ

By God, a flowing tear that tells its tale!

To God belong tearful prayers that speak,

How noble a petitioner it is, if it speaks true!

Honor their sayer, if he be sincere.

لِشُهْبِهِ السَّبْقُ عَلَى جَمْرِهِ

لِشُهْبِهِ السَّبْقُ عَلَى جَمْرِهِ

وَالشُّهْبُ فِي الأفْق لَهُنَّ السَبَقْ

وَالشُّهْبُ فِي الأفْق لَهُنَّ السَبَقْ

Its shooting stars outstrip its embers,

Its meteors precede its embers,

and the shooting stars on the horizon have the lead.

And meteors in the horizon have the precedence.

وَشَى بِمَا أخْفَيْتُ فِي مُهْجَتِي

وَشَى بِمَا أخْفَيْتُ فِي مُهْجَتِي

فَأعْجَبْ بِهِ مِنْ صَامِتٍ قَدْ نَطَقْ

فَأعْجَبْ بِهِ مِنْ صَامِتٍ قَدْ نَطَقْ

It betrayed what I concealed in my heart;

It intimated what I concealed in my innermost being,

so marvel at a silent thing that has spoken!

So wonder at it, from one who was silent but has spoken.

وَبِي غَزَالٌ صَادَ أسْدَ الشَّرَى

وَبِي غَزَالٌ صَادَ أسْدَ الشَّرَى

بِسَهْمِ جَفْنٍ فِي فُؤَادِي رَشَقْ

بِسَهْمِ جَفْنٍ فِي فُؤَادِي رَشَقْ

And I am smitten with a gazelle that hunted the lions of al-Sharā,

And I am a gazelle who hunted the lion of foes

with an eyelid's arrow that he shot into my heart.

With the arrow of an eyelid that struck my heart.

رَمَقْتُ سَاجِي مُقْلَتَيْهِ فَلَمْ

رَمَقْتُ سَاجِي مُقْلَتَيْهِ فَلَمْ

يَتْرُكْ بِقَلْبِي أوْ بِعَيْنِي رَمَقْ

يَتْرُكْ بِقَلْبِي أوْ بِعَيْنِي رَمَقْ

I gazed at his languid eyes, and he did not

I glimpsed the intoxication of his languishing eyes, but it

leave a spark of life in my heart or my eye.

Left in my heart or eyes no glimpse.

غُصْنٌ رَنَا لَمَّا انْثَنَى عِطفه

غُصْنٌ رَنَا لَمَّا انْثَنَى عِطفه

فَاحْذَرْهُ مِمَّا هَزَّ أوْ مَا امْتَشَقْ

فَاحْذَرْهُ مِمَّا هَزَّ أوْ مَا امْتَشَقْ

A bough, he gazed as his body bent;

A branch bent when its clusters bent,

so beware him, for what he brandished or unsheathed.

So beware of what it shook or what it snapped off.

رَقَّتْ كُؤُوسُ الرَّاح فِي جفنه

رَقَّتْ كُؤُوسُ الرَّاح فِي جفنه

فَاصْطَبَحَ اللَّحْظُ بِهَا وَاغْتَبَقْ

فَاصْطَبَحَ اللَّحْظُ بِهَا وَاغْتَبَقْ

The wine cups grew delicate in his eyelid,

The cups of the zephyr melted on his eyelids,

so his glance drank from them morning and evening.

So the glance took them in the morning and was dyed by them.

وَقَلَّمَ الغُصْنَ بِخَدَّيْهِ فَلَمْ

وَقَلَّمَ الغُصْنَ بِخَدَّيْهِ فَلَمْ

أعْلَمْ لِدَالٍ أوْ لِلاَمٍ مَشَقْ

أعْلَمْ لِدَالٍ أوْ لِلاَمٍ مَشَقْ

And he pruned the bough on his cheeks, and I could not

And his cheeks modeled the branch yet I knew not

tell whether he penned a dāl or a lām.

Whether it was for a dal or for a lam it was cleft.

بَدْرٌ عَلَى غُصْنٍ لَوَى جِيدَهُ

بَدْرٌ عَلَى غُصْنٍ لَوَى جِيدَهُ

يَا مَنْ رَأى شَكْلاً عَلَيْهِ الشَّفَقْ

يَا مَنْ رَأى شَكْلاً عَلَيْهِ الشَّفَقْ

A full moon upon a bough, he bent his neck;

A full moon on a bending branch, O you who saw

O you who have seen a form overlaid with twilight's glow!

A crescent moon rising on which the sunset glow spread.

البَدْرُ مِنْ ضَوْءِ سَنَاهُ أضا

البَدْرُ مِنْ ضَوْءِ سَنَاهُ أضا

وَالْمِسْكُ من رَيَّا شذَاهُ عَبَقْ

وَالْمِسْكُ من رَيَّا شذَاهُ عَبَقْ

The full moon shone from the light of his radiance,

The full moon derives its light from the brilliance of his attributes,

and musk grew fragrant from the sweet fragrance of his scent.

And musk derives its fragrance from the wind blowing on it.

لَوْ لَمْ تكُنْ عَيْنَ الحَيَا خَدُّهُ

لَوْ لَمْ تكُنْ عَيْنَ الحَيَا خَدُّهُ

مَا عَاشَ فِيهِ الوَرْدُ بَعْدَ العَرَقْ

مَا عَاشَ فِيهِ الوَرْدُ بَعْدَ العَرَقْ

If his cheek were not the very source of rain,

Were it not for the eye of the serpent being his cheek,

the rose would not have lived there after the sweat.

The roses would not have lived after being plucked.

كَلاَّ وَلَوْلاَ أنَّهُ مِنْ لَظًى

كَلاَّ وَلَوْلاَ أنَّهُ مِنْ لَظًى

مَا كَانَ نجمُ الخَالِ فِيهِ احْتَرَقْ

مَا كَانَ نجمُ الخَالِ فِيهِ احْتَرَقْ

No indeed! Were it not made of flame,

Nay, were it not for it being made of softness,

the star of the mole would not have burned within it.

The star of the mole in it would not have burned.

صَلَّى إلَى وجنته خَالُهُ

صَلَّى إلَى وجنته خَالُهُ

فَأحْرَقَتْهُ شَمْسُهَا بِالشَّفَقْ

فَأحْرَقَتْهُ شَمْسُهَا بِالشَّفَقْ

His mole prayed toward his cheek,

His cheek prayed to the sun of her cheek,

so its sun burned it with twilight's glow.

So her sun burned it with the sunset glow.

وَقَامَ يَدْعُو لِلْهَوَى صُدْغُهُ

وَقَامَ يَدْعُو لِلْهَوَى صُدْغُهُ

وربَّ دَاعٍ لَمْ يَكُنْ مُخْتَلِقْ

وربَّ دَاعٍ لَمْ يَكُنْ مُخْتَلِقْ

And his sidelock stood calling to love,

And his temple stood beseeching love,

and many a caller was no liar.

While many a supplicant had not been sincere.

وَاسْتَمَعَ العَارِضُ ذِكْرَ الحَيَا

وَاسْتَمَعَ العَارِضُ ذِكْرَ الحَيَا

فَاسْتَرَقَ الألْبَابَ لَمَّا اسْتَرَقْ

فَاسْتَرَقَ الألْبَابَ لَمَّا اسْتَرَقْ

And the down on his cheek listened to mention of rain,

The cheek listened to the mention of the serpent,

so it stole minds as it stole a hearing.

So it stole hearts when it stole a glance.

قَابلتَ يَا بَدْر ضِيَا خَدّهِ

قَابلتَ يَا بَدْر ضِيَا خَدّهِ

وَالبَدْر إنْ وَافَى القِرَانَ انْمَحَقْ

وَالبَدْر إنْ وَافَى القِرَانَ انْمَحَقْ

You faced, O full moon, the light of his cheek,

You met, O full moon, the brightness of his cheek,

and the full moon is effaced when it reaches conjunction.

And the full moon when it meets its pair is eclipsed.

وَمُذْ سَرَقْتِ العِطْفَ يَا بَانَةً

وَمُذْ سَرَقْتِ العِطْفَ يَا بَانَةً

قُطِعْتِ وَالقطع جَزَا مَنْ سَرَقْ

قُطِعْتِ وَالقطع جَزَا مَنْ سَرَقْ

And since you stole his figure, O bān tree,

And since you stole a sidelong glance, O you who tempts,

you were cut down—and cutting is the penalty for whoever steals.

You were cut off, and cutting off is the penalty for theft.

يَا عَاذِلِي لاَ تَعْتقِاْ أنَّنِي

يَا عَاذِلِي لاَ تَعْتقِاْ أنَّنِي

أنَمْت جفنِي بَعْدَ طُولِ الأرقْ

أنَمْت جفنِي بَعْدَ طُولِ الأرقْ

O my reproacher, do not suppose that I

O you who blame me, think not that I

lulled my eyelid to sleep after long sleeplessness.

Slept after long insomnia.

الجَفْن لَمْ يَهْجَعْ وَلَكِنَّه

الجَفْن لَمْ يَهْجَعْ وَلَكِنَّه

لَمَّا رَأى طَيْفَ حَبِيبِي طَرَقْ

لَمَّا رَأى طَيْفَ حَبِيبِي طَرَقْ

The eyelid did not sleep, but

My eyelids did not sleep but when

when it saw my beloved's phantom, it lowered its gaze.

They saw the phantom of my beloved they hastened.

أعِيذ خَدَّيْهِ بِشَمْسِ الضُّحَى

أعِيذ خَدَّيْهِ بِشَمْسِ الضُّحَى

وَوَجْهَه الزَّاهِي بِنُورِ الفَلَقْ

وَوَجْهَه الزَّاهِي بِنُورِ الفَلَقْ

I seek protection for his cheeks by the forenoon sun,

I seek refuge for his cheeks in the sun of morning

and for his radiant face by the light of daybreak.

And his radiant face in the light of daybreak.

مُحَبَّب الثَّغْرِ شَهِيُّ اللَّمَى

مُحَبَّب الثَّغْرِ شَهِيُّ اللَّمَى

مُوَرَّد الخَدّ كَحيل الحَدَقْ

مُوَرَّد الخَدّ كَحيل الحَدَقْ

With beadlike teeth and delectable dusky lips,

Beloved of the mouth, magnificent of glance,

rose-tinted of cheek and kohl-dark of eyes.

Rosy of cheek as the kohl of eyes.

إنْ لاَحَ غَطَّى الشَّمْسَ مِرْطُ الحَيَا

إنْ لاَحَ غَطَّى الشَّمْسَ مِرْطُ الحَيَا

أوْ مَاسَ وَارَى الغصن بُرْدُ الوَرَقْ

أوْ مَاسَ وَارَى الغصن بُرْدُ الوَرَقْ

If he appears, a cloak of modesty covers the sun;

If the serpent's hood covered the sun of his cheek

or if he sways, a mantle of leaves conceals the bough.

Or it withdrew and the branch's foliage covered it,

مليك حسنٍ مَاسَ تيهًا لِذَا

مليك حسنٍ مَاسَ تيهًا لِذَا

لِوَاءُ قَلْبِي فِي هَوَاه خَفَقْ

لِوَاءُ قَلْبِي فِي هَوَاه خَفَقْ

A king of beauty, he swayed in pride; thus

A possessor of beauty withdrew confused, for

my heart's banner fluttered in love for him.

My heart's banner fluttered in passionate love for him.

عُلِّقْتُه شَمْسًا عَلَى بَانَةٍ

عُلِّقْتُه شَمْسًا عَلَى بَانَةٍ

جَلَّ الَّذِي صَوَّرَه من عَلَقْ

جَلَّ الَّذِي صَوَّرَه من عَلَقْ

I became enamored of him, a sun upon a bān tree;

I hung him as a sun upon a shining full moon,

exalted is He who shaped him from clotted blood.

Exalted is He who shaped him from a clot!

رَفَّتْ عَلَى غُرَّتِهِ طُرَّةٌ

رَفَّتْ عَلَى غُرَّتِهِ طُرَّةٌ

وَعَادَةُ الشَّمْسِ جَلاَءُ الغَسَقْ

وَعَادَةُ الشَّمْسِ جَلاَءُ الغَسَقْ

A forelock fluttered upon his radiant brow,

The new moon gleamed over his crescent,

yet the sun's custom is to dispel darkness.

And it is the sun's habit to unveil the darkness.

وَرَقَّ ألْفَاظًا وَخَصْراً فَلَمْ

وَرَقَّ ألْفَاظًا وَخَصْراً فَلَمْ

أدْرِ وَقَدْ رَاقَ الهوَى مَنْ أرَقّ

أدْرِ وَقَدْ رَاقَ الهوَى مَنْ أرَقّ

And he was delicate in words and waist, and I could not

He swayed, both in figure and waist, but I knew not,

tell, with love so delightful, who is more delicate.

And who has ever known one consumed with passion?

شَمْسُ ضُحًى غَطَّى الضيَا وَجهَهُ

شَمْسُ ضُحًى غَطَّى الضيَا وَجهَهُ

وَزَادَ ضَوْءَ البَدْرِ حَتَّى اتَّسَقْ

وَزَادَ ضَوْءَ البَدْرِ حَتَّى اتَّسَقْ

A forenoon sun, radiance veiled his face,

The sun of morning covered the brightness of his face

and heightened the full moon's light until it reached fullness.

And increased the moon's light until it was complete.

فَحَمَّ طَرْفُ اللَّيْلِ حَتَّى انْعَمَى

فَحَمَّ طَرْفُ اللَّيْلِ حَتَّى انْعَمَى

وَغَمَّ قَلْبُ الصُّبْحِ حَتَّى انْفَلَقْ

وَغَمَّ قَلْبُ الصُّبْحِ حَتَّى انْفَلَقْ

So night's eye grew feverish until it went blind,

So the edge of night became blind until it was darkened,

and dawn's heart grew sorrowful until it split open.

And the heart of dawn grieved until it split.