سألتI asked حبيبيmy beloved اينwhere وعدكyour promise فالتوىso he turned aside
سألت حبيبي اين وعدك فالتوى
بلطفgently كغصنlike a bough البانthe ben tree لياbending عنaway from الوعدthe promise
بلطف كغصن البان ليا عن الوعد
I asked my beloved, “Where is your promise?” and he turned aside,
I asked my beloved where is your promise bending
Gently, like a ben-tree bough, bending away from the promise.
With gentleness like a supple bough he turned from his promise
وغالطنيand he deceived me بالقولwith words والحبand love جائرunjust
وغالطني بالقول والحب جائر
عليtoward me فآهso, ah! آهah! منbecause of ناقضthe breaker of العهدthe pledge
علي فآه آه من ناقض العهد
And he deceived me with words, while love is unjust
And wronged me with words though love is unjust
To me—so ah, ah, for the breaker of the pledge!
Woe to me from one who breaks vows
ففيfor in شعرهhis hair ليلnight وشمسand a sun بوجههon his face
ففي شعره ليل وشمس بوجهه
ومنand from نقضهhis breaking الميثاقthe covenant قلبيmy heart فيin الرعدthe thunder
ومن نقضه الميثاق قلبي في الرعد
For in his hair is night, and on his face a sun,
In his hair there is night and sun in his face
And from his breaking the covenant, my heart is amid thunder.
My heart is thunder because he broke his pact