خصركyour waist هذاthis المخطفslender
خصرك هذا المخطف
لكلfor every قلبheart يخطفsnatches
لكل قلب يخطف
This slender waist of yours
Your captivating waist
snatches every heart.
steals every heart
أظلمI am wronged فيin الحبlove كماas
أظلم في الحب كما
شاءhe pleases ولاand not انتصفI gain redress
شاء ولا انتصف
I am wronged in love as
I love darkly as
he pleases, and I gain no redress.
fate willed, without justice
أهوىI love حبيباًa beloved سجنهhis prison
أهوى حبيباً سجنه
قلبيmy heart وهوand he يوسفYusuf
قلبي وهو يوسف
I love a beloved whose prison
I love a beloved imprisoned
is my heart, and he is Yusuf.
by my heart, he is Joseph
معتدلwell-proportioned القامةstature يثـstart of 'bends it'
معتدل القامة يثـ
ـنيهاend of 'bends it' الصباthe east wind والهيفand slenderness
ـنيها الصبا والهيف
Well-proportioned in stature, bent
Of medium stature, graced by
by the east wind and slenderness.
youth and tenderness
لاnot يعرفknows العطفtenderness أخـstart of 'brother'
لا يعرف العطف أخـ
ـوend of 'brother' البانةthe bān-tree بلbut ينعطفhe bends
ـو البانة بل ينعطف
He knows no tenderness, the brother
He knows no mercy, turning
of the bān-tree—yet he bends.
away from the maidens
جسميmy body بهbecause of him مضنىwasted وقلـand start of 'my heart'
جسمي به مضنى وقلـ
ـبيend of 'my heart' مستهامlove-stricken دنفailing
ـبي مستهام دنف
My body is wasted through him, and my heart
My body yearns for him and my
is love-stricken, ailing.
heart is impassioned
واأسفيoh, my sorrow! واأسفيoh, my sorrow! لوif only
واأسفي واأسفي لو
كانwas يغنيavails الأسفsorrow
كان يغني الأسف
Alas for me, alas for me! If only
Oh how I wish
sorrow could avail.
he would sing of longing
ياO سادتيmy masters قتليkilling me فيin
يا سادتي قتلي في
دينfaith الغرامpassionate love شرفhonor
دين الغرام شرف
O my masters, to slay me in
My masters, love has killed
the faith of love is an honor.
my honor
إنif كانit is يرضيكمpleases you تلاstart of 'my ruin'
إن كان يرضيكم تلا
فيend of 'my ruin' فرضايthen my pleasure التلفruin
في فرضاي التلف
If my ruin pleases you,
If it pleases you, my ruin is
then ruin is my pleasure.
acceptable
سلوتI ceased loving إنif كنتI am علىat
سلوت إن كنت على
بابdoor سواكمother than you أقفI stand
باب سواكم أقف
I have ceased to love if, at
I asked if beside your door
any door but yours, I stand.
I should stand
أعذلاًreproach? وقدthough already نجاescaped
أعذلاً وقد نجا
العذالthe reproachers سواكمother than you أقفI stand
العذال سواكم أقف
Reproach, though they have already escaped—
Excused, though none but you
the reproachers; 'other than you, I stand' [wording unclear].
would excuse my standing
همthey عذلواthey reproached لكنbut منthe one whom
هم عذلوا لكن من
هويتهI loved him ماnot عرفواthey knew
هويته ما عرفوا
They reproached me, but the one
They excused but did not know
I loved, they did not know.
the one I desired