أَقِلِّ المَلامَ يا عَتيقُ فَإِنَّني

أَقِلِّ المَلامَ يا عَتيقُ فَإِنَّني

بِهِندٍ طَوالَ الدَهرِ حَرّانُ هائِمُ

بِهِندٍ طَوالَ الدَهرِ حَرّانُ هائِمُ

Lessen your reproach, Atiq, for I

Reproach me little, O Atiq, for I

am forever aflame and love-maddened over Hind.

Am restless, wandering for a beauty eternally.

فَقَضَّ مَلامي وَاِطلُبِ الطِبَّ إِنَّني

فَقَضَّ مَلامي وَاِطلُبِ الطِبَّ إِنَّني

أُسِرُّ جَوىً مِن حُبِّها فَهوَ رازِمُ

أُسِرُّ جَوىً مِن حُبِّها فَهوَ رازِمُ

So end your reproaches and seek a cure, for I

Desist from blaming me, and seek remedy, for I

conceal a heartache from loving her, and it weighs heavily.

Conceal an ardor for her love binding me.

فَقالَ عَلَيكَ اليَومَ أَسماءَ إِنَّها

فَقالَ عَلَيكَ اليَومَ أَسماءَ إِنَّها

أَطَبُّ بِهَذا وَالمُباطِنُ عالِمُ

أَطَبُّ بِهَذا وَالمُباطِنُ عالِمُ

He said, 'Turn to Asma today; she

He said: "For you today are charms, she

is more skilled at this, and an intimate knows.'

Is most pleasing thus, though hearts know the hidden."

فَقُلتُ لِأَسماءَ اِشتِكاءً وَأَخضَلَت

فَقُلتُ لِأَسماءَ اِشتِكاءً وَأَخضَلَت

مَسارِبَ عَينَيَّ الدُموعُ السَواجِمُ

مَسارِبَ عَينَيَّ الدُموعُ السَواجِمُ

So I spoke to Asma in complaint, while

So to Asma I complained, and tears streamed

streaming tears drenched the channels of my eyes:

Down my eyes in torrents raging.

أَبيني لَنا كَيفَ السَبيلُ إِلى الَّتي

أَبيني لَنا كَيفَ السَبيلُ إِلى الَّتي

نَأَت غَربَةٌ عَنّا بِها ما تُلائِمُ

نَأَت غَربَةٌ عَنّا بِها ما تُلائِمُ

'Show us the way to her

Show us, I asked, the way to her

whom an unwelcome exile has carried far from us.'

Who came from afar, no match for her found.

فَقالَت وَهَزَّت رَأسَها لَو أَطَعتَنا

فَقالَت وَهَزَّت رَأسَها لَو أَطَعتَنا

تَجَنَّبتَها أَيّامَ قَلبُكَ سالِمُ

تَجَنَّبتَها أَيّامَ قَلبُكَ سالِمُ

Then she said, shaking her head, 'Had you obeyed us,

She said, shaking her head: "Had you obeyed us

you would have avoided her when your heart was unharmed.

You'd have avoided her in days your heart was safe."

وَلَكِن دَعَت لِلحَينِ عَينٌ مَريضَةٌ

وَلَكِن دَعَت لِلحَينِ عَينٌ مَريضَةٌ

فَطاوَعتَها عَمداً كَأَنَّكَ حالِمُ

فَطاوَعتَها عَمداً كَأَنَّكَ حالِمُ

But a languid eye summoned you to doom,

"But a sick eye called out for the moment-

and you deliberately obeyed it, as though dreaming.

You indulged it intentionally, as if dreaming."

وَكُنتَ تَبوعاً لِلهَوى مُصحِباً لَهُ

وَكُنتَ تَبوعاً لِلهَوى مُصحِباً لَهُ

إِذا أَعجَبَتكَ الآنِساتُ النَواعِمُ

إِذا أَعجَبَتكَ الآنِساتُ النَواعِمُ

And you were an ardent follower of desire, yielding to it

"And you were passion's pursuer, accompanying it

whenever charming, delicate women pleased you.

When beauties pleased you, soft and delicate."

تُكَلِّفُ أَفراسَ الصِبا تَعَباً لَهُ

تُكَلِّفُ أَفراسَ الصِبا تَعَباً لَهُ

وَلَستَ تُبالي أَن تَلومَ اللَوائِمُ

وَلَستَ تُبالي أَن تَلومَ اللَوائِمُ

You burden the steeds of youthful passion with toil for its sake,

"You tasked the steeds of youth, tiring them out for it,

and care nothing if reproaching women blame you.

And cared not for blamers' rebukes."

وَوَكَّلتَ أَفراسَ الصِبا بِطِلابِها

وَوَكَّلتَ أَفراسَ الصِبا بِطِلابِها

زَماناً فَقَد هانَت عَلَيكَ المَلاوِمُ

زَماناً فَقَد هانَت عَلَيكَ المَلاوِمُ

And you charged the steeds of youthful passion with pursuing her

"You charged the steeds of youth with seeking her

for a time, for reproaches had come to mean little to you.

For so long, that companions meant nothing to you."

وَعُلِّقتَها أَيّامَ قَلبُكَ موثَقٌ

وَعُلِّقتَها أَيّامَ قَلبُكَ موثَقٌ

لَدَيها فَدَعها الآنَ إِذ أَنتَ سالِمُ

لَدَيها فَدَعها الآنَ إِذ أَنتَ سالِمُ

And you fell in love with her when your heart was bound

"You tied your heart to her when it was pledged to her.

in her keeping; so leave her now, since you are unharmed.'

Leave her now, for you are healed."

فَقُلتُ لَها أَنّي سَلِمتُ وَحُبُّها

فَقُلتُ لَها أَنّي سَلِمتُ وَحُبُّها

جَوىً لِبَناتِ القَلبِ يا أَسمَ لازِمُ

جَوىً لِبَناتِ القَلبِ يا أَسمَ لازِمُ

So I said to her, 'How have I escaped unharmed, when love for her

I said: "I am healed, yet her love's

is an anguish clinging to my heartstrings, O Asma?

A yearning in my heart's core, O Asma, clinging."

وَأَنّى سُلُوُّ القَلبِ عَنها وَقَد سَبا

وَأَنّى سُلُوُّ القَلبِ عَنها وَقَد سَبا

فُؤادِيَ مِنها ذو غَدائِرَ فاحِمُ

فُؤادِيَ مِنها ذو غَدائِرَ فاحِمُ

And how can the heart forget her, when what has taken

"How can my heart forget her, when she has raided

my heart captive is her coal-black, braided hair,

My soul, her twisted locks fiercely burning?"

وَجيدُ غَزالٍ فائِقُ الدُرِّ حَليُهُ

وَجيدُ غَزالٍ فائِقُ الدُرِّ حَليُهُ

وَرَخصٌ لَطيفٌ واضِحُ اللَونِ ناعِمُ

وَرَخصٌ لَطيفٌ واضِحُ اللَونِ ناعِمُ

a gazelle's neck, adorned with the choicest pearls,

"Her gazelle's neck exudes excellent pearls,

and a soft, delicate form, fair in color and smooth?'

Her figure slight and softly colored, smooth."