نعم كانَ ما قالَ الوُشاةُ وأكثرُ

نعم كانَ ما قالَ الوُشاةُ وأكثرُ

وكم كشَفَت حالي دُمُوعي وأستُرُ

وكم كشَفَت حالي دُمُوعي وأستُرُ

Yes—what the slanderers said was true, and there was more besides.

Yes, what the slanderers said was true—and more.

How often my tears revealed my state, though I tried to hide it.

And how often my tears have laid bare my state, though I conceal it!

قد اعتَرفَت عَيناكَ بالقَتل عِندهم

قد اعتَرفَت عَيناكَ بالقَتل عِندهم

وما قَتلُ مِثلي يا مقاتِلُ يُنكَرُ

وما قَتلُ مِثلي يا مقاتِلُ يُنكَرُ

Your eyes have confessed before them to the killing;

Your eyes have confessed to murder before them;

and who could deny the killing of one like me, O slayer?

and killing one like me, O warrior, cannot be denied.

فإن كنتَ تَخشى أن تُقادَ بمُهجَتي

فإن كنتَ تَخشى أن تُقادَ بمُهجَتي

جُفونُكَ فاغمِد سَيفَها فهو مُشهَرُ

جُفونُكَ فاغمِد سَيفَها فهو مُشهَرُ

If you fear that your eyelids will be brought to retribution for my lifeblood,

So if you fear that retribution for my lifeblood may be exacted

then sheathe their sword—for it stands drawn.

upon your eyelids, then sheathe their sword, for it is drawn.

تَصبَّرتُ بعدَ الصَّبرِ لما فقَدتُه

تَصبَّرتُ بعدَ الصَّبرِ لما فقَدتُه

زَماناً وكَم يَبقَى عَليَّ التصبُّرُ

زَماناً وكَم يَبقَى عَليَّ التصبُّرُ

After patience failed me, I forced myself to endure

I forced myself to endure after losing patience,

for a time—but how long can such endurance be demanded of me?

for a time—and how long can forced endurance last me?

ويَعذُرُني فيكَ العَذولُ فإن تَخُن

ويَعذُرُني فيكَ العَذولُ فإن تَخُن

وِدادي فَعُذري عندَه مُتَعذِّرُ

وِدادي فَعُذري عندَه مُتَعذِّرُ

Even the reproachful censor excuses me where you are concerned; but if you betray

And the reproacher excuses me for loving you; but if you betray

my love, then before him I can offer no excuse.

my love, then no excuse for me is possible in his eyes.