أَبَحْتُ النَّرْجِسَ الرّقْيَ وُدّي

أَبَحْتُ النَّرْجِسَ الرّقْيَ وُدّي

ومالي بِاجْتِنابِ الوَرْدِ طاقَهْ

ومالي بِاجْتِنابِ الوَرْدِ طاقَهْ

I granted the narcissus a rise in my affection,

I granted the narcissus of Raqqa my affection,

Yet I have no strength to shun the rose.

and I have no strength to shun the rose.

كِلا الأَخَوَيْنِ مَعْشوقٌ وإِنّي

كِلا الأَخَوَيْنِ مَعْشوقٌ وإِنّي

أَرى التَفْضيلَ بَيْنَهُما حَماقَهْ

أَرى التَفْضيلَ بَيْنَهُما حَماقَهْ

Both brothers are beloved, and truly

Both brothers are beloved, and indeed I

I deem preferring one of them sheer folly.

see favoring one over the other as folly.

هُما في عَسْكَرِ الأَنْوارِ هَذا

هُما في عَسْكَرِ الأَنْوارِ هَذا

مَقْدمة يسيرُ وذاكَ ساقَهْ

مَقْدمة يسيرُ وذاكَ ساقَهْ

They stand within the army of blossoms: this one

Both are in the army of blossoms: this one

Marches in the vanguard, and that one in the rear.

marches as the vanguard, and that one is the rearguard.