بِمَن أَباحَكَ قَتلي

بِمَن أَباحَكَ قَتلي

عَلامَ حَرَّمتَ وَصلي

عَلامَ حَرَّمتَ وَصلي

Who gave you leave to kill me?

By the one who made my killing lawful to you,

Why have you forbidden union with me?

why have you forbidden union with me?

وَما أَرابَكَ حَتّى

وَما أَرابَكَ حَتّى

صَرَمتَ بِالهَجرِ حَبلي

صَرَمتَ بِالهَجرِ حَبلي

And what aroused your suspicion, that

And what aroused your suspicion, that

you severed our bond by deserting me?

you severed my bond through estrangement?

عَذَّبتَ قَلبي بِجِدٍّ

عَذَّبتَ قَلبي بِجِدٍّ

مِنَ الصُدودِ وَهَزلِ

مِنَ الصُدودِ وَهَزلِ

You tortured my heart with your earnestness

You tormented my heart with earnest

in turning away, while I was only jesting.

rebuffs, and with playful ones.

أَنفَقتُ فيكَ دُموعي

أَنفَقتُ فيكَ دُموعي

وَالدَمعُ جَهدُ المُقِلِّ

وَالدَمعُ جَهدُ المُقِلِّ

I spent all my tears on you,

I spent my tears on you,

and tears are the utmost a poor man can give.

and tears are the poor man's utmost offering.

أَتعَبتَ نَفسَكَ يا عا

أَتعَبتَ نَفسَكَ يا عا

ذِلي عَلَيهِ بِعَذلي

ذِلي عَلَيهِ بِعَذلي

You have worn yourself out, O my re—

You have worn yourself out, O you who

—proacher over him, by reproaching me.

blame me for him, with your reproaches.

كَيفَ السُلوُّ وَقَلبي

كَيفَ السُلوُّ وَقَلبي

رَهنٌ لَديهِ وَعَقلي

رَهنٌ لَديهِ وَعَقلي

How could I forget, while my heart

How can I forget, when my heart

is a pledge in his keeping—and my reason too?

is held in pledge by him, and my mind too?

بُليتُ بِالحُبِّ مِنهُ

بُليتُ بِالحُبِّ مِنهُ

بِظالِمٍ مُستَحِلِّ

بِظالِمٍ مُستَحِلِّ

Through love of him I have been afflicted

Through love for him, I have been afflicted

with a tyrant who deems it lawful

with a tyrant who deems my killing lawful.

بِمِثلِ وَجدي عَلَيهِ

بِمِثلِ وَجدي عَلَيهِ

ماتَ المُحِبّونَ قَبلي

ماتَ المُحِبّونَ قَبلي

to keep my yearning for him in suspense.

From longing like mine for him,

Lovers before me have died.

lovers have died before me.