أمختارُ لا توقظ شجوني فإنني

أمختارُ لا توقظ شجوني فإنني

بصوتك أستوحي لواعج أشجاني

بصوتك أستوحي لواعج أشجاني

O Mukhtar, do not awaken my sorrows, for I

I choose, do not awaken my affections, for with

Draw inspiration, through your voice, from the burning pangs of my grief.

Your voice I summon the surging passions within me.

جميل كأن الخمر وحي روحه

جميل كأن الخمر وحي روحه

ومن روحه المحبوب أنظم ألحاني

ومن روحه المحبوب أنظم ألحاني

He is beautiful, as though wine were his soul’s inspiration,

Beautiful, as though wine were the revelation of his spirit;

And from his beloved soul I compose my melodies.

And from his spirit, my beloved, I shape my melodies.

يغنى وما يدرى بأني أحبه

يغنى وما يدرى بأني أحبه

وأن غرامي في هواه هو الجاني

وأن غرامي في هواه هو الجاني

He sings and does not know that I love him,

He sings, not knowing that I love him,

And that my passion in loving him is itself the culprit.

And that my passion for his love is my undoer.