أَتَكني عَن رُقَيَّةَ أَم تَبوحُ

أَتَكني عَن رُقَيَّةَ أَم تَبوحُ

وَمِن تَبَعِ الهَوى حَيناً فُضوحُ

وَمِن تَبَعِ الهَوى حَيناً فُضوحُ

Will you speak of Ruqayya by allusion, or declare it openly?

Do you allude to Ruqayya, or speak openly?

For passion is a great revealer of whoever follows it, even briefly.

And disgrace is sometimes a consequence of passion.

أَعوذُ بِحُجزَتَيكِ رُقَيَّ إِمّا

أَعوذُ بِحُجزَتَيكِ رُقَيَّ إِمّا

نَوالٌ مِنكِ أَو قَتلٌ مُريحُ

نَوالٌ مِنكِ أَو قَتلٌ مُريحُ

I seek refuge in the two folds of your girdle, Ruqayya—either

I seek refuge at your two waistbands, Ruqayy—either

a favor from you, or a death that brings relief.

a favor from you, or a death that brings relief.

إِذا ذُكِرَت سَمِيَّتُها كَأَنّي

إِذا ذُكِرَت سَمِيَّتُها كَأَنّي

أَرى كَبِدي يُليحُ بِها مُليحُ

أَرى كَبِدي يُليحُ بِها مُليحُ

Whenever her namesake is mentioned, it is as though

When her namesake is mentioned, it is as though I

I see a handsome man wasting my liver away because of her.

see my liver being waved about by someone.

وَقالوا دَع رُقَيَّةَ وَاِجتَنِبها

وَقالوا دَع رُقَيَّةَ وَاِجتَنِبها

وَتَركيها إِذا خَرَجَ المَسيحُ

وَتَركيها إِذا خَرَجَ المَسيحُ

They said, “Give up Ruqayya and keep away from her.”

And they said, "Leave Ruqayya and avoid her."

My leaving her will be when the Messiah appears.

But I shall leave her only when the Messiah comes forth.

أَلَيسَ اللَهُ يَعلَمُ أَنَّ حُبّي

أَلَيسَ اللَهُ يَعلَمُ أَنَّ حُبّي

رُقَيَّةَ قَد تَضَمَّنَهُ الكُشوحُ

رُقَيَّةَ قَد تَضَمَّنَهُ الكُشوحُ

Does God not know that my love

Does not God know that my love

for Ruqayya—my very ribs have already enfolded it?

for Ruqayya is indeed enclosed within my flanks?

أُحِبُّكَ أَنَّ جيدَكَ جيدُ سَلمى

أُحِبُّكَ أَنَّ جيدَكَ جيدُ سَلمى

وَعَينَكَ أَيُّها الظَبيُ السَنيحُ

وَعَينَكَ أَيُّها الظَبيُ السَنيحُ

I love you, for your neck is Salma’s very neck,

I love you because your neck is Salma's neck,

and your eyes—O gazelle of auspicious passage!

and your eye is hers, O gazelle crossing to the right.

فَدَيتُكِ فيمَ أُهجَرُ لا بِذَنبٍ

فَدَيتُكِ فيمَ أُهجَرُ لا بِذَنبٍ

وَفيمَ وَوُدَّكُم عِندي رَبيحُ

وَفيمَ وَوُدَّكُم عِندي رَبيحُ

May I ransom you! Why am I shunned, though guilty of no sin?

May I be your ransom! Why am I shunned for no fault?

And why, when your love is rich gain to me?

And why, when love for you is a gain to me?

كَأَنّي ناقِهٌ مِن غِبِّ وَعكٍ

كَأَنّي ناقِهٌ مِن غِبِّ وَعكٍ

فَأَمثَلُ ما بِيَ النَظَرُ الصَحيحُ

فَأَمثَلُ ما بِيَ النَظَرُ الصَحيحُ

I am as one convalescing after the aftermath of a fever,

I am like one convalescing after a fever;

and the soundest faculty remaining to me is unimpaired sight.

so the soundest thing in me is my clear sight.