أُغاضِبُها وتُغاضِبُني

أُغاضِبُها وتُغاضِبُني

وأُقاطِعُها وتُقاطعُني

وأُقاطِعُها وتُقاطعُني

I quarrel with her, and she quarrels with me.

I anger her and she angers me

And I cut her off, and she cuts me off.

I ignore her and she ignores me

ويَشُكُّ الآخَرُ في صاحِبِهِ

ويَشُكُّ الآخَرُ في صاحِبِهِ

وتَكادُ، تَكادُ تُلاعِنُني

وتَكادُ، تَكادُ تُلاعِنُني

And the other doubts his companion.

The other begins to doubt his companion

And she almost, almost trades curses with me.

And she almost, she almost curses me

حتّى لا يَبقى فينا أَمَلٌ

حتّى لا يَبقى فينا أَمَلٌ

يُرْجَى، والحِقْدُ يُقَطِّعُني

يُرْجَى، والحِقْدُ يُقَطِّعُني

Until no hope remains within us

Until no hope remains between us

To be hoped for, while hatred tears me apart.

That can be hoped for, and hatred cuts me through

فَيَرُنُّ الهاتِفُ بينَ يَدِي

فَيَرُنُّ الهاتِفُ بينَ يَدِي

وصَوْتُ الكَيْدِ يُطارِدُني

وصَوْتُ الكَيْدِ يُطارِدُني

Then the telephone rings before me,

So the telephone rings in my hand

And the voice of guile pursues me.

And the voice of malice chases me

فأَقولُ، عَذَابي أنتِ عَذابي

فأَقولُ، عَذَابي أنتِ عَذابي

فتقولُ وأنتَ تُعَذِّبُني

فتقولُ وأنتَ تُعَذِّبُني

Then I say: My torment—you are my torment.

So I say, my torment is you, my torment

Then she says: And you torment me.

And she says, yet you torment me

فأُنازِعُها وتُنازِعُني

فأُنازِعُها وتُنازِعُني

وأُحاكِمُها، وتُحاكِمُني

وأُحاكِمُها، وتُحاكِمُني

Then I argue with her, and she argues with me.

So I dispute with her and she disputes with me

And I put her on trial, and she puts me on trial.

I accuse her and she accuses me

حتَّى يُفْرِغَ كُلٌّ مِنَّا

حتَّى يُفْرِغَ كُلٌّ مِنَّا

ما في القلبِ مِنَ الضَّغَنِ

ما في القلبِ مِنَ الضَّغَنِ

Until each of us pours out

Until each of us empties

The rancor within the heart.

What bitterness lies in the heart

فَتُجاذِبُني مِثْلَ الماضي

فَتُجاذِبُني مِثْلَ الماضي

وتَلُفُّ الحَبْلَ على ذَقْني

وتَلُفُّ الحَبْلَ على ذَقْني

Then she tugs at me as in the past,

So she contends with me as in the past

And winds the rope around my chin.

And wraps the rope around my neck

قَبْلَ المأذونِ أو القاضي

قَبْلَ المأذونِ أو القاضي

تَبكي عُذْرًا، تَسْتَغْفِرُني

تَبكي عُذْرًا، تَسْتَغْفِرُني

Before the marriage officiant or the judge,

Before the official witness or judge

She weeps in apology, seeking my forgiveness.

She cries excuse, begging my forgiveness

فإذا دَمعي يَسْقي خَدًّا

فإذا دَمعي يَسْقي خَدًّا

حينَ أغيبُ يُعَذِّبُني

حينَ أغيبُ يُعَذِّبُني

Then, behold, my tears water a cheek

So when my tears water my cheek

That torments me when I am away.

When I am absent, she torments me

وإذا روحي في كَفَّيْها

وإذا روحي في كَفَّيْها

مِثلُ العُصْفورِ على الغُصْنِ

مِثلُ العُصْفورِ على الغُصْنِ

And, behold, my soul is in her palms,

And when my soul is in her hands

Like a sparrow on a branch.

Like a bird on a branch

لَعَنَ اللهُ سُيوفَ الحُبِّ

لَعَنَ اللهُ سُيوفَ الحُبِّ

إلام الحُبُّ يُعَذِّبُني؟

إلام الحُبُّ يُعَذِّبُني؟

May God curse the swords of love!

Cursed by God are the swords of love

How long will love torment me?

Why does love torment me so?