وشادن أورثني حبه

كالائتلافيين حزناً طويل

And a young gazelle whose love has left me

with lasting sorrow, like the Allies.

عز علي الوصل منه كما

عز عليهم موقف الدردنيل

Union with him was hard for me to attain, just as

the encounter at the Dardanelles was hard for them.

والكل منا لم ينل قصده

وهكذا من طلب المستحيل

And none of us attained his aim;

so it goes with whoever seeks the impossible.

قد همت بالثغر وهاموا به

والثغر ناء ما إليه سبيل

I was enamored of the mouth, and they were too;

and the mouth is far away, with no way to reach it.

وفتحه كان لهم منة

ومنيتي ان ارد السلسبيل

Opening it would have been a boon to them,

while my wish is to drink from Salsabil.

اشكو ويشكون الهوى والوغى

فكلنا يصلى بنار الغليل

I lament love, and they the din of battle;

so we all burn in the fire of unquenched longing.

يا دولا فرت اساطيلها

فرار سلواني وصبري الجميل

O powers whose fleets have fled,

as my solace and graceful patience fled!

دماؤهم مثل دموع النوى

على الظبا والخد سالت مسيل

Their blood, like tears of separation,

flowed in streams over sword-edges and cheek.

قد صادني الظبي ولكنما

قد صادهم من تركيا اسد غيل

The gazelle has caught me, but

a lion of the thicket from Turkey has caught them.

أودت بهم بيض حداج كما

بالصب أودى سيف لحظ كليل

Bright, sharp blades laid them low, just as

the sword of a languid glance laid the lovesick lover low.

ودعت قلبي يوم ترحاله

وودعوا الشوكة يوم الرحيل

I bade my heart farewell on the day of his departure,

and they bade their might farewell on the day they left.

قد رجعوا بالعار لكنني

رجعت في الحب بمجد اثيل

They returned in disgrace, but I

returned with deep-rooted glory in love.

قد جدت للحب بنفسي وهم

قد اثروا جبناً حياة الذليل

I freely gave myself for love, while they

chose, out of cowardice, the life of the abased.

ان ندوا اليوم على ما مضى

فلا اقيلت عثرة المستقيل

If today they regret what has passed,

then may the pardon-seeker’s misstep never be pardoned!