نمّت وما مرَّ طيبٌ نفحة الطيب

نمّت وما مرَّ طيبٌ نفحة الطيب

من سارقٍ نفسَه في الحيِّ مرعوبِ

من سارقٍ نفسَه في الحيِّ مرعوبِ

A waft of perfume betrayed—though no perfume had passed—

Her fragrance wafted not when she walked by,

a thief stealing himself away, terrified in the encampment.

Like a frightened thief stealing life from the living.

مهلاً فما صلحت ريّاك إذ نفحت

مهلاً فما صلحت ريّاك إذ نفحت

لقاتلٍ راحلٍ في إثر مَطلوبِ

لقاتلٍ راحلٍ في إثر مَطلوبِ

Gently! Your fragrance, when it wafted, was not suited

Hold on, your smell brought no goodness when it blew

to a departing killer in pursuit of his quarry.

To a leaving killer, chasing the wanted.

سلّم جفونك نأخذها بما اكتسَبت

سلّم جفونك نأخذها بما اكتسَبت

قتلاً بقتلٍ وتعذيباً بتعذيبِ

قتلاً بقتلٍ وتعذيباً بتعذيبِ

Surrender your eyelids; we shall punish them for what they have done:

Surrender your eyelids, we will take them for what they have reaped,

killing for killing, and torment for torment.

Killing for killing, and torture for torture.

فما انتظاري بها إن كان سفكُ دمي

فما انتظاري بها إن كان سفكُ دمي

يومَ الحساب عليها غيرَ مَحسوبِ

يومَ الحساب عليها غيرَ مَحسوبِ

Why wait to punish them, if the shedding of my blood

So I do not await them, if shedding my blood

is not reckoned against them on the Day of Reckoning?

On the Day of Judgement is not counted against them.

وحين أضنَيتني أغريتني أبداً

وحين أضنَيتني أغريتني أبداً

بها كما كنتَ تضنيها فتُغري بي

بها كما كنتَ تضنيها فتُغري بي

And when you wasted me away, you always incited me

And when you made me love you, you tempted me

against them, just as you made them languid, then incited them against me.

With them, as you used to make them love you and tempt me.

ولو وهبتُ دمي لم تُغنِ موهبتي

ولو وهبتُ دمي لم تُغنِ موهبتي

كم من دمٍ سفكتهُ غير موهوبِ

كم من دمٍ سفكتهُ غير موهوبِ

And even if I gave away my blood, my gift would be of no avail;

And if I sacrificed my blood, my sacrifice would not benefit

how much blood you have shed that was never freely given!

The many bloods you shed without sacrifice.

وغادةٍ وقفت في عادةٍ سلفت

وغادةٍ وقفت في عادةٍ سلفت

من هجرها وكفاها ذاكَ تأنيبي

من هجرها وكفاها ذاكَ تأنيبي

And many a fair maiden paused in an old habit

I stood with Ghadah, following past habit

of shunning me; that spared her my rebuke.

Of leaving her and that sufficed to rebuke me.

ولم تُفدني وصِدقي من مودتها

ولم تُفدني وصِدقي من مودتها

شيئاً سوى طمعٍ في الوصل مكذوبِ

شيئاً سوى طمعٍ في الوصل مكذوبِ

Nor, by my sincerity, did she grant me from her affection

And her affection did not benefit my sincerity

anything but a false hope of union.

Except with hope of false connection.

فقُل لسالبتي عقلي عممتِ فما

فقُل لسالبتي عقلي عممتِ فما

أشكوكِ إلا إلى وَلهانَ مسلوبِ

أشكوكِ إلا إلى وَلهانَ مسلوبِ

So tell her who stole my reason: ‘You have done this to everyone, so

So say to the one who robbed me of my mind: You generalized,

I complain of you only to one lovesick and despoiled.’

I do not complain of you except to the robbed insane.