طرفيَ في طاهرٍ وكفّي

طرفيَ في طاهرٍ وكفّي

من جُنُبٍ في الهوى وطاهرْ

من جُنُبٍ في الهوى وطاهرْ

My gaze and my hand are upon Tahir—

My eyes are pure and so are my palms,

Those of one ritually impure in love, yet pure.

Yet my heart is consumed with passion.

عبَدتُه كالمجوسِ شَمساً

عبَدتُه كالمجوسِ شَمساً

على حنيفيّتي أُجاهرْ

على حنيفيّتي أُجاهرْ

I worshipped him as a sun, like the Magi,

I worshipped him like the Magi worshipping the sun,

And proclaim it openly, despite my monotheistic faith.

Though I profess my true faith.

ونمتُ عن عاذلي فولّى

ونمتُ عن عاذلي فولّى

عن نائمٍ في هواهُ ساهرْ

عن نائمٍ في هواهُ ساهرْ

I slept, heedless of my reproacher, so he turned away

I fell asleep, oblivious to my blamer,

From one asleep, yet wakeful in love for him.

While awake, lost in thoughts of my beloved.

قبّلَهُ السيفُ في جبينٍ

قبّلَهُ السيفُ في جبينٍ

منه حَوى متنُه جَواهر

منه حَوى متنُه جَواهر

The sword kissed him upon a brow

The sword kissed his radiant forehead,

From which its blade gathered jewels.

Extracting from it precious gems.

فكان تأثيرُه هلالاً

فكان تأثيرُه هلالاً

يذكِّرُ البدرَ وهْو باهِر

يذكِّرُ البدرَ وهْو باهِر

So the mark it left became a crescent,

Its effect was like a new moon

Recalling the full moon in its splendor.

Reminding us of the full moon's splendor.

وما رأى الناسُ من هلالٍ

وما رأى الناسُ من هلالٍ

لولاهُ تحتَ الشُعاعِ ظاهِرْ

لولاهُ تحتَ الشُعاعِ ظاهِرْ

And people would have seen no crescent

Never would people have seen the crescent,

Visible beneath the radiance, were it not for him.

If not for its brilliance under the rays.