طَرِبَ الفُؤادُ هَل لَهُ مِن مَطرَبِ

طَرِبَ الفُؤادُ هَل لَهُ مِن مَطرَبِ

أَم هَل لِسالِفِ وُدِّهِ مِن مَطلَبِ

أَم هَل لِسالِفِ وُدِّهِ مِن مَطلَبِ

The heart is stirred—has it any source of delight?

The heart was disturbed - was there for it a consoler?

Or is there any way to reclaim its former love?

Or was there for his old love an obtainer?

وَصَبا وَمالَ بِهِ الهَوى وَاِعتادَهُ

وَصَبا وَمالَ بِهِ الهَوى وَاِعتادَهُ

لَهوُ الصِبا بِجُنونِ قَلبٍ مُسهَبِ

لَهوُ الصِبا بِجُنونِ قَلبٍ مُسهَبِ

It yearned, passion swayed it, and it was revisited by

Passion inclined towards him and accustomed him,

youth's diversions, with the madness of a distraught heart.

The madness of youth with a burning heart.

فيهِ مِنَ النُصبِ المُبينِ زَمانُهُ

فيهِ مِنَ النُصبِ المُبينِ زَمانُهُ

وَالحُبُّ مَن يَعلَق جَواهُ يَعطَبِ

وَالحُبُّ مَن يَعلَق جَواهُ يَعطَبِ

Its days are spent in manifest distress;

His time had clear adversity,

and love—whoever is caught in its anguish is undone.

And love - whoever hungers for it sickens.

عَلِقَ الهَوى مِن قَلبِهِ بِغَريرَةٍ

عَلِقَ الهَوى مِن قَلبِهِ بِغَريرَةٍ

رَيّا الرَوادِفِ ذاتِ خَلقٍ خَرعَبِ

رَيّا الرَوادِفِ ذاتِ خَلقٍ خَرعَبِ

His heart's passion fastened on an innocent maiden,

He hung passion from his heart for a fawn,

full-hipped, with a tall and supple figure.

A driver of yearning, of lovely creation.

تُجري السِواكَ عَلى أَغَرَّ مُفَلَّجٍ

تُجري السِواكَ عَلى أَغَرَّ مُفَلَّجٍ

عَذبِ اللِثاتِ لَذيذِ طَعمِ المَشرَبِ

عَذبِ اللِثاتِ لَذيذِ طَعمِ المَشرَبِ

She runs the tooth-stick over a gleaming mouth with spaced teeth,

She passed the toothstick over the sweetest gap-toothed mouth,

with sweet gums and a draught delicious to taste.

Of sweet lips, delicious in taste like a drink.

قالَت لِجارِيَةٍ لَها قولي لَهُ

قالَت لِجارِيَةٍ لَها قولي لَهُ

مِنّي مَقالَةَ عاتِبٍ لَم يُعتِبِ

مِنّي مَقالَةَ عاتِبٍ لَم يُعتِبِ

She said to a maid of hers, “Tell him

She said to a maid of hers: say to him

from me the words of a reproacher who has not relented.

A saying of one who complains but doesn't complain.

وَلَقَد عَلِمتُ لَئِن عَدَدتُ ذُنوبَهُ

وَلَقَد عَلِمتُ لَئِن عَدَدتُ ذُنوبَهُ

أَن سَوفَ يَزعُمُ أَنَّهُ لَم يُذنِبِ

أَن سَوفَ يَزعُمُ أَنَّهُ لَم يُذنِبِ

And I know full well that, if I count his faults,

And I knew well that if I listed his sins

he will claim that he has done no wrong.

He would claim that he hadn't sinned.

أَلمُخبِري إِنّي أُحِبُّ مُصاقِباً

أَلمُخبِري إِنّي أُحِبُّ مُصاقِباً

داني المَحَلِّ وَنازِحاً لَم يَصقَبِ

داني المَحَلِّ وَنازِحاً لَم يَصقَبِ

He who tells me, ‘I love you whether close at hand,

Tell me, I love one who is reproached

near in dwelling, or far away without drawing near’—

Lowly in status and not highborn.

لَو كانَ بي كِلفاً كَما قَد قالَ لَم

لَو كانَ بي كِلفاً كَما قَد قالَ لَم

يُجمِع بِعادي عامِداً وَتَجَنُّبي

يُجمِع بِعادي عامِداً وَتَجَنُّبي

if he were infatuated with me, as he has said, he would not

If he had avoided me as he said, he wouldn't

deliberately resolve to leave me and avoid me.”

Have persisted in harming me and avoiding me.

فَجَعَلتُ أُثلِجُها يَميناً بَرَّةً

فَجَعَلتُ أُثلِجُها يَميناً بَرَّةً

بِاللَهِ حَلفَةَ صادِقٍ لَم يَكذِبِ

بِاللَهِ حَلفَةَ صادِقٍ لَم يَكذِبِ

So I began to reassure her with a truthful oath,

So I made her swear sincerely, an oath not lying,

by God, the oath of a truthful man who has not lied:

That your love still increases in me

ما زالَ حُبُّكِ بَعدُ يَنمي صاعِداً

ما زالَ حُبُّكِ بَعدُ يَنمي صاعِداً

عِندي وَأَرقُبُ فيكِ ما لَم تَرقُبي

عِندي وَأَرقُبُ فيكِ ما لَم تَرقُبي

“Love for you still grows ever higher

And I watch for you what you don't watch for.

within me; and I show you a regard you have not shown.”