جرحتني بذي الفقار عيون

جرحتني بذي الفقار عيون

رمشها يرمش الفؤاد بماضي

رمشها يرمش الفؤاد بماضي

Eyes wounded me with Dhū al-Fiqār;

Eyes wounded me with Dhu al-Fiqar.

their lashes slash the heart with a keen blade.

Their lashes slash the heart with a keen blade.

باعت القلب واشترته اغتصابا

باعت القلب واشترته اغتصابا

ومحته والبيع لا عن تراضي

ومحته والبيع لا عن تراضي

She sold the heart and bought it back by force,

They sold the heart and bought it by force,

then erased it—though the sale was not by mutual consent.

And erased it—the sale was not by mutual consent.

وقضت أنه لها وعجيب

وقضت أنه لها وعجيب

بائع مشترٍ وخضم قاضي

بائع مشترٍ وخضم قاضي

And ruled that it was hers. How strange—

And ruled that it was theirs—how strange:

seller and buyer, litigant and judge!

A seller who is also buyer, and a vast sea acting as judge.