يا غزالاً إذا شَكَوْ

يا غزالاً إذا شَكَوْ

تُ إليه تَصَلّفا

تُ إليه تَصَلّفا

O gazelle, whenever I complain

O gazelle, when I complained

to him, he acts haughtily;

To him, he was gentle

وإذا رُمْتُ وصلَه

وإذا رُمْتُ وصلَه

صَدَّ عنّي وسَوَّفا

صَدَّ عنّي وسَوَّفا

and whenever I seek union with him,

And when I wanted to join him

he turns away from me and puts me off.

He turned away from me and delayed

وهو من بَعْدِ ذا يَسُلْ

وهو من بَعْدِ ذا يَسُلْ

لُ بعَيْنيه مُرْهفا

لُ بعَيْنيه مُرْهفا

And after this, he unsheathes

Yet after that he began

with his two eyes a keen-edged blade.

To gaze at me with tender eyes

ليته جاد لِي الغَدا

ليته جاد لِي الغَدا

ةَ بوعدٍ وأَخْلَفا

ةَ بوعدٍ وأَخْلَفا

If only, in the morning, he would grant me

Would that he had been true to his promise

a promise—even if he broke it.

And not failed me