وَغَضيضِ الطَرفِ مِكسالِ الضُحى

وَغَضيضِ الطَرفِ مِكسالِ الضُحى

أَحوَرِ المُقلَةِ كَالريمِ الأَغَن

أَحوَرِ المُقلَةِ كَالريمِ الأَغَن

And one downcast of gaze, languid through the forenoon,

And one with a downcast gaze, languid at forenoon,

with eyes of lustrous black against white, like the soft-voiced white gazelle,

dark-eyed, like a gazelle with a soft, nasal cry,

مَرَّ بي في نَفَرٍ يُحفِفنَهُ

مَرَّ بي في نَفَرٍ يُحفِفنَهُ

مِثلَما حَفَّ النَصارى بِالوَثَن

مِثلَما حَفَّ النَصارى بِالوَثَن

passed me amid a company that ringed him,

passed me amid a group surrounding her,

just as Christians ring an idol.

as Christians gathered around the idol.

راعَني مَنظَرُهُ لَمّا بَدا

راعَني مَنظَرُهُ لَمّا بَدا

رُبَّما أَرتاعُ بِالشَيءِ الحَسَن

رُبَّما أَرتاعُ بِالشَيءِ الحَسَن

His appearance startled me when he came into view;

Her appearance startled me when she came into view;

often I am startled by a beautiful thing.

sometimes I am startled by something beautiful.

قُلتُ مَن هَذا فَقالَت بَعضُ مَن

قُلتُ مَن هَذا فَقالَت بَعضُ مَن

فَتَنَ اللَهُ بِكُم فيمَن فَتَن

فَتَنَ اللَهُ بِكُم فيمَن فَتَن

I asked, “Who is this?” A woman among them said,

I said, 'Who is this?' She said, 'One of those

“One of those whom God has tried through you, among all those He has tried—

whom God has bewitched through you, among those He has bewitched;

بَعضُ مَن كانَ أَسيراً زَمَناً

بَعضُ مَن كانَ أَسيراً زَمَناً

ثُمَّ أَضحى لِهَواكُم قَد مَجَن

ثُمَّ أَضحى لِهَواكُم قَد مَجَن

one who had been a captive for a time,

one of those who were captive for a time,

then, for passion for you, turned wanton.”

then grew wanton for love of you.'

قُلتُ حَقّاً ذا فَقالَت قَولَةً

قُلتُ حَقّاً ذا فَقالَت قَولَةً

أَورَثَت في القَلبِ هَمّاً وَشَجَن

أَورَثَت في القَلبِ هَمّاً وَشَجَن

I said, “Can this be true?” Then she uttered words

I said, 'Is this true?' She made a reply

that left the heart burdened with care and grief:

that left worry and sorrow in my heart:

يَشهَدُ اللَهُ عَلى حُبّي لَكُم

يَشهَدُ اللَهُ عَلى حُبّي لَكُم

وَدُموعي شاهِدٌ لي وَحَزَن

وَدُموعي شاهِدٌ لي وَحَزَن

“God bears witness to my love for you,

'God bears witness to my love for you,

and my tears and my grief bear witness for me.”

and my tears bear witness for me, and so does grief.'

قُلتُ يا سَيِّدَتي عَذَّبتِني

قُلتُ يا سَيِّدَتي عَذَّبتِني

قالَتِ اللَهُمَّ عَذِّبني إِذَن

قالَتِ اللَهُمَّ عَذِّبني إِذَن

I said, “My lady, you have tormented me.”

I said, 'O my lady, you have tormented me.'

She said, “O God, torment me, then!”

She said, 'O God, torment me then!'