زَخارِفُ دُنيانا الأَنيقَةُ أَصبَحَت

زَخارِفُ دُنيانا الأَنيقَةُ أَصبَحَت

هَشيماً كَما رَثَّ الرِداءُ المُطَرَّزُ

هَشيماً كَما رَثَّ الرِداءُ المُطَرَّزُ

The elegant adornments of our world have become

The elegant adornments of our world have become

The elegant ornaments of our world have turned to debris, just as an embroidered robe wears into tatters.

Dry chaff, as an embroidered robe grows threadbare.

dry chaff, as the embroidered cloak grew threadbare.

O time of youth—God's blessing be upon you—for within you, the promises of those we love were ever fulfilled.

زَمانُ الصِبا لِلَّهِ دَرُّكَ لَم تَزَل

زَمانُ الصِبا لِلَّهِ دَرُّكَ لَم تَزَل

مَواعيدُ مَن نَهوى لَنا فيكَ تُنجَزُ

مَواعيدُ مَن نَهوى لَنا فيكَ تُنجَزُ

O days of youth—how splendid you were!—never did

O days of youth—God bless you! Always

Our visits were daily, our secret open to the day, with no slanderer watching to wink in malice.

The promises of those we loved fail to be fulfilled in you.

were the promises of those we love fulfilled for us in you.

Our eyes sinned in looking while our consciences remained chaste; we passed the night with hands restrained from touch.

زِيارَتُنا في كُلِّ يَومٍ وَسِرُّنا

زِيارَتُنا في كُلِّ يَومٍ وَسِرُّنا

جَهاراً بِلا واشٍ يَرانا فَيغمِزُ

جَهاراً بِلا واشٍ يَرانا فَيغمِزُ

We visited each day, and our secret was out

Our visits were daily, and our secret lay

We buttoned our shirts over nothing obscene, permitting ourselves only that which is most proper.

In the open, with no informer to see us and cast a knowing glance.

in the open, with no tale-bearer to see us and then make insinuations.

The face of our beloved mocked the full moon when it rose, baffling it with a beauty that had never known defeat.

زَنَت أَعيُنٌ مِنّا وَعَفَّت ضَمائِرٌ

زَنَت أَعيُنٌ مِنّا وَعَفَّت ضَمائِرٌ

فَبِتنا وَأَيدينا مِنَ اللَمسِ تُحجَزُ

فَبِتنا وَأَيدينا مِنَ اللَمسِ تُحجَزُ

Eyes among us sinned, while consciences remained chaste;

Our eyes committed adultery, but our consciences stayed chaste;

The perfection of the full moon is a defect compared to him; the moon feels shame before him when he emerges.

So we passed the night with our hands restrained from touching.

so we spent the night with our hands kept from touching.

The reins of lovers' hearts lie in his palm; they are led like captives with shackled hands, driven forward.

زَرَرنا عَلى غَيرِ الفَواحِشِ قُمصَنا

زَرَرنا عَلى غَيرِ الفَواحِشِ قُمصَنا

وَلَم نَستَجِز إِلّا الَّذي هُوَ أَجوزُ

وَلَم نَستَجِز إِلّا الَّذي هُوَ أَجوزُ

We buttoned our shirts against every indecency,

We buttoned our shirts over no indecency,

His glances are lion pits or snares; the sword of destruction lies within them, so how can one be on guard?

And permitted ourselves only what was most permissible.

and allowed ourselves only what was most permissible.

You claimed that in love there is abasement; you spoke the truth, yet for the beautiful ones, it holds glory.

زَرى وَجهُ مَن نَهوى عَلى البَدرِ إِذ بَدا

زَرى وَجهُ مَن نَهوى عَلى البَدرِ إِذ بَدا

وَأَعجَزَهُ حُسناً وَما كانَ يعجزُ

وَأَعجَزَهُ حُسناً وَما كانَ يعجزُ

The face of the one we loved put the moon to shame when it appeared,

When our beloved’s face appeared, it put the full moon to shame,

Surpassing it in beauty, though nothing had surpassed it before.

and surpassed it in beauty, though it had never fallen short.

زِيادَةُ بَدرِ التمِّ كَالنَقصِ عِندَهُ

زِيادَةُ بَدرِ التمِّ كَالنَقصِ عِندَهُ

فَلِلبَدرِ مِنهُ خَجلة حينَ يبرزُ

فَلِلبَدرِ مِنهُ خَجلة حينَ يبرزُ

Even the full moon's waxing seems a waning beside him;

The full moon’s waxing is like waning beside him;

The moon blushes before him whenever it comes forth.

so the full moon feels shame before him when it appears.

زِمامُ قُلوبِ العاشِقينَ بِكَفِّهِ

زِمامُ قُلوبِ العاشِقينَ بِكَفِّهِ

تُقادُ كَمَغلولِ اليَدَينِ وَتُحفَزُ

تُقادُ كَمَغلولِ اليَدَينِ وَتُحفَزُ

The reins of lovers' hearts are held in his palm;

The reins of lovers’ hearts lie in his palm;

They are driven and spurred like a man whose hands are shackled.

they are led like one with shackled hands, and driven on.

زُبى الأُسدِ أَو أَشراكها لَحَظاتُها

زُبى الأُسدِ أَو أَشراكها لَحَظاتُها

وَسَيفُ الرَدى فيها فَكَيفَ التَحَرُّزُ

وَسَيفُ الرَدى فيها فَكَيفَ التَحَرُّزُ

Her glances are lions' pits—or the snares set for them—

Her glances are pits for lions, or snares for them;

And in them lies death's sword: how can one guard against it?

and death’s sword lies within them—how, then, can one protect oneself?

زَعَمتُم بِأَنَّ الحُبَّ فيهِ تَذَلُّلٌ

زَعَمتُم بِأَنَّ الحُبَّ فيهِ تَذَلُّلٌ

صَدَقتُم وَفيهِ لِلمِلاحُ تَعَزُّزُ

صَدَقتُم وَفيهِ لِلمِلاحُ تَعَزُّزُ

You claimed that love entails abasement;

You claimed that in love there is self-abasement.

You spoke truly—but in it the beautiful gain proud aloofness.

You spoke truly—and in it the beautiful grow haughty.