أودّ بأن أرى ظبي الصحاري

أودّ بأن أرى ظبي الصحاري

وأرقب طيفه والليل سار

وأرقب طيفه والليل سار

I long to see the gazelle of the deserts,

I wish I could see the deer of the deserts

I yearn to behold the gazelle of the deserts,

And watch for his dream-vision as the night journeys on.

And watch its specter as the night progressed

And I watch for his phantom while the night journeys on,

وأطلب قربه فيزيد بعداً

وأطلب قربه فيزيد بعداً

قديماً من وصالٍ في نفار

قديماً من وصالٍ في نفار

And I seek his nearness, yet he grows more distant,

And seek its proximity though it increases the distance

I seek his nearness, but he only grows more distant,

Long averse to union.

Of old, from a union that led to estrangement

Always turning from union to aversion,

وهذا الظبي لا يرعى ذماماً

وهذا الظبي لا يرعى ذماماً

ولا يرضى مؤانسةً لجار

ولا يرضى مؤانسةً لجار

And this gazelle honors no pledge,

This deer grazes no tether

This gazelle honors no covenant of loyalty,

Nor will he consent to keeping a neighbor company.

Nor is content with a neighbor for company

Nor does he consent to the intimacy of a neighbor,

يتية بدلّه ويصول عمدا

يتية بدلّه ويصول عمدا

غنيٌّ بالجمال فلا يداري

غنيٌّ بالجمال فلا يداري

He struts in his coquetry and deliberately lashes out,

Deliberately, it wanders away for a change of scenery

He struts in his coquetry, deliberate in his assault,

Rich in beauty, he will not humor anyone.

Rich in beauty, it competes with none

Rich in beauty, he offers no compromise,

أمازحه فلا يرضى مزاحاً

أمازحه فلا يرضى مزاحاً

وأسأله المراء فلا يُماري

وأسأله المراء فلا يُماري

I jest with him, yet he will not accept jesting,

I joke with it yet it is not amused

I jest with him, but he will not be amused,

And ask him to argue, yet he will not argue.

I instigate an argument but it does not contend

I seek a dispute, but he refuses to contend,

ويعتبني فيكسو القلب بسطاً

ويعتبني فيكسو القلب بسطاً

لأن العتب يطفي حر ناري

لأن العتب يطفي حر ناري

And he reproaches me, clothing my heart in gladness,

And it admonishes me, cloaking my heart with serenity

Yet when he reproaches me, he clothes my heart in joy,

For reproach quenches the heat of my fire.

For rebuke extinguishes the heat of fire

For his reproach quells the burning of my fire,

فإن هو لم يجد بالوصل أصلا

فإن هو لم يجد بالوصل أصلا

ويدني الطيف من سكني وداري

ويدني الطيف من سكني وداري

So if he grants no union at all,

If it has found no root for unity

So if he grants no generosity of union at all,

And brings the dream-vision near my dwelling and my home,

And brings the specter closer to my dwelling

Nor draws his phantom near to my dwelling place,

أقل للنفس ويك ألا فذوبي

أقل للنفس ويك ألا فذوبي

وموتبي فالقضاه عليك جار

وموتبي فالقضاه عليك جار

I tell my soul: 'Woe to you! Take heed—then melt away,

I say to myself, melt away

I say to my soul: Woe unto you! Melt away!

And die, for fate takes its course upon you.'

And my demise is imminent, it has prevailed

And perish, for Fate's decree has passed upon you,

ويسلبني الحياة إذا تبدّى

ويسلبني الحياة إذا تبدّى

بوجهٍ في الإضاءة كالنهار

بوجهٍ في الإضاءة كالنهار

And he robs me of life whenever he appears,

It takes my life when it appears

He robs me of life the moment he appears,

With a face as radiant as daylight.

With a face in the glow like daylight

With a face shining as bright as the day.