وناعورة ناشدتها عن حنينها

وناعورة ناشدتها عن حنينها

حنينَ الحوار والدموعُ تسيلُ

حنينَ الحوار والدموعُ تسيلُ

And a waterwheel—I asked her about her plaintive cry,

The fountain which I asked about her yearning

I implored a waterwheel about its yearning groan,

A camel calf's cry, while tears flowed.

The yearning for conversation, and tears flowing

A yearning like a weaned camel calf, while tears flow down.

فقالت وأبدت عذرها بمقالها

فقالت وأبدت عذرها بمقالها

وللصدق آيات عليه دليل

وللصدق آيات عليه دليل

So she spoke, revealing her excuse in her words;

She replied, making excuses in her words

She answered, revealing her excuse in her reply,

And truth has signs that bear witness to it.

And for honesty there are signs as evidence

For truth possesses signs that serve as proof:

ألست تراني ألقم الثدي لحظة

ألست تراني ألقم الثدي لحظة

وأدفع عنه والبلاء طويل

وأدفع عنه والبلاء طويل

Do you not see me given the breast for a moment,

Do you not see me, nursing for a moment

"Do you not see me taking the breast into my mouth for a moment,

And driven away from it, while the torment lasts long?

And warding off from it though the affliction is long

Only to be thrust away from it, while the tribulation is long?

وحالي كحال العشق بات محالفاً

وحالي كحال العشق بات محالفاً

يدور بدار الحب وهو ذليل

يدور بدار الحب وهو ذليل

And my plight is like that of love, now bound by a pact;

And my state is like the state of love that has become amenable

My state is like the lover's state, sworn to constancy,

He circles love's abode, abject.

Circling in the abode of love while it is disgraced

Turning within the abode of love, utterly humbled;

يطاطيء حزناً رأسه بتذلّل

يطاطيء حزناً رأسه بتذلّل

ويرفع أخرى والعويل عويل

ويرفع أخرى والعويل عويل

He bows his head in sorrow and submission,

Bowing its head in sorrow with humiliation

He lowers his head in sorrowful submission,

And raises it once more, the wailing still the same.

And raising it another time with loud wailing

And raises it again, while the wailing endlessly wails."