ناشدتِك اللهَ في ظُلْمي فما قَتلتْ

ناشدتِك اللهَ في ظُلْمي فما قَتلتْ

عيناك أَنصفَ مِنّي في المحِبِّينَا

عيناك أَنصفَ مِنّي في المحِبِّينَا

I adjure you by God concerning your wronging me—for never have

I implore you by God concerning the wrong done me: never have

your eyes slain a lover more just than I among lovers.

Your eyes slain anyone more just than I among lovers.

سَلي صمِيمَ فؤادي هل شَرَعْتُ له

سَلي صمِيمَ فؤادي هل شَرَعْتُ له

سِوى هَواكِ وإنْ عَدَّيتني دِينا

سِوى هَواكِ وإنْ عَدَّيتني دِينا

Ask the very core of my heart whether I have ordained for it

Ask the very core of my heart whether I have ordained for it

anything but your love—even though you reckon me a creed.

Any faith but love of you, even if you have spurned me.

إنْ لم أفزْ منكِ يا من حبُّها تَلفي

إنْ لم أفزْ منكِ يا من حبُّها تَلفي

بما أُريد فعِندي ما تريدينا

بما أُريد فعِندي ما تريدينا

If I do not attain from you, O you whose love is my ruin,

If I do not gain from you, O you whose love is my ruin,

what I desire, then I still possess what you desire.

What I desire, then I have what you desire.

فاستوهبي لي مِن عينيكِ مرحمةً

فاستوهبي لي مِن عينيكِ مرحمةً

ومِن قَساوةِ ما أَوليتِني لِينا

ومِن قَساوةِ ما أَوليتِني لِينا

So beg from your eyes the gift of mercy for me,

So beg mercy for me from your eyes,

and from the cruelty you have shown me, some gentleness.

And tenderness from the harshness of what you have bestowed on me.

وإن لَحَوْكِ فقولي إنّه رجل

وإن لَحَوْكِ فقولي إنّه رجل

وجدتُه فاتكَ الأَلحاظِ عِنِّينا

وجدتُه فاتكَ الأَلحاظِ عِنِّينا

And if they reproach you, say: “He is a man

And if they reproach you, say: “He is a man

whom I found murderous in his glances—and impotent.”

Whom I found deadly in his glances, yet impotent.”

لا تطلبوا بِدمي مِن قاتِلٍ قَوَداً

لا تطلبوا بِدمي مِن قاتِلٍ قَوَداً

ودونكْم فاطلبوه الخرَّدَ العِينا

ودونكْم فاطلبوه الخرَّدَ العِينا

Do not seek blood-requital for my blood from a killer;

Do not seek retribution for my blood from a killer;

here before you are the shy, wide-eyed maidens—seek it from them.

And here before you are the bashful, wide-eyed maidens—demand it of them.