عجب ما لخلي يماطل محبه

ويعلم سقمي ويبخل بطبه

How strange! Why does my beloved keep his lover waiting?

He knows my sickness, yet withholds his remedy.

ألا ما لقلبي جنب فيه غضبه

إذا كان جانب فكيف شا أقول به

Ah, what has my heart done to incur his anger?

If it is at fault, what shall I say about it?

حرامه حرامه قتلني ظلامه

وكلفني أشرب صويفي المدامه

Shame on him, shame on him! His injustice has killed me.

And he made me drink the pure wine.

علامه تقولوا هجرني علامه

وقلبي المسكين ايش كان ذنبه

Tell me, why has he forsaken me—why?

And my poor heart—what was its sin?

إذا أمسى تنفس إذا الليل عسعس

إذا النور نسنس وصبحي تنفس

When evening falls, it sighs; when night draws on,

When the light stirs softly and my dawn breathes,

ذكرت أشنب العس بعينيه نرجس

سفرجل سجنجل كصدره وكعبه

I remember the pearly-toothed one, with a cup-like mouth and narcissus in his eyes.

Quince and mirror are like his chest and his ankle.

رويدك بنفسك حبي واحذر التيه

أتحرق قليبي وحبك سكن فيه

Be gentle with yourself, my love, and beware of pride.

Will you burn my little heart, though your love has settled within it?

إذا أحرقت قلبي فمن شا يداويه

اليك انتهى أمره وبعده وقربه

If you burn my heart, who will heal it?

With you rest its affairs, its distance and its nearness.

عجب للعواذل فماذا يقولون

ومن يحرم الحبّ لا شك مغبون

I marvel at the reproachers—what are they saying?

And whoever is denied love is surely cheated.

يرومون أسلو بعيد ما يرومون

يخلون قلبي يدبره ربه

They want me to cease loving; far beyond reach is what they want.

Let them leave my heart alone; its lord will guide it.