يا شادِناً غابَ نَجمُ الحُسْنِ لَولاهُ

يا شادِناً غابَ نَجمُ الحُسْنِ لَولاهُ

ما كانَ يوسفُ لّما ماتَ وَلاّهُ

ما كانَ يوسفُ لّما ماتَ وَلاّهُ

O young gazelle, but for whom beauty’s star would have set!

O you whose beauty's star has set, alas!

Yusuf had not appointed him when he died.

Without its light, fair Joseph ne'er had been,

وَلاّهُ رِقِّي ظَرْفٌ في شَمائِلهِ

وَلاّهُ رِقِّي ظَرْفٌ في شَمائِلهِ

فاشتَطَّ في الحُكمِ لّما أنْ تَوَلاّهُ

فاشتَطَّ في الحُكمِ لّما أنْ تَوَلاّهُ

Charm in his character made him master of my bondage;

He was so delicate, so finely bred,

so he overstepped all bounds in ruling when he assumed it.

That, when authority was his, he did but ill.

اِرحَمْ فتىً مُدْنَفاً ما إنْ يُخَلِّصُهُ

اِرحَمْ فتىً مُدْنَفاً ما إنْ يُخَلِّصُهُ

مِن غَمْرَةِ العِشقِ إلاّ أنْتَ وَاللهُ

مِن غَمْرَةِ العِشقِ إلاّ أنْتَ وَاللهُ

Have mercy on a lovesick youth, whom none can save

Pity a hapless lover, whom nor thee

from love’s engulfing flood but you and God.

Nor Allah save can from his doom of love.