مرَّت فَحيَّتني وقد حَيَّيتُها

مرَّت فَحيَّتني وقد حَيَّيتُها

وبراحتي فوقَ الفؤادِ فَدَيتُها

وبراحتي فوقَ الفؤادِ فَدَيتُها

She passed and greeted me, and I had greeted her.

She passed by and greeted me, and I greeted her in return

And with my palm upon my heart, I offered my life for her.

With my soul above heart I ransomed her

إنَّ التحيَّةَ بيننا إيماءةٌ

إنَّ التحيَّةَ بيننا إيماءةٌ

وإشارةٌ فعَليَّ حُرِّمَ بَيتُها

وإشارةٌ فعَليَّ حُرِّمَ بَيتُها

The greeting between us is a nod

The greeting between us is but a gesture

And a gesture, for her house is forbidden to me.

And a sign, so her home was made unlawful to me

لكنَّها في الحلمِ لبّت دَعوتي

لكنَّها في الحلمِ لبّت دَعوتي

وإذا دَعَتني ليلةً لبَّيتها

وإذا دَعَتني ليلةً لبَّيتها

But in a dream she answered my invitation,

But in a dream she fulfilled my request

And when she called me one night, I answered her.

And if she calls me one night, I will fulfill hers

بينَ الخَيالينِ الوصالُ وإنَّما

بينَ الخَيالينِ الوصالُ وإنَّما

ذاكَ الجمالُ يزولُ إن ناديتُها

ذاكَ الجمالُ يزولُ إن ناديتُها

Union lies between the two dream-images; yet

Between dreams, union is possible, but that

That beauty vanishes if I call to her.

Beauty fades if I call out to her

أحببتُها عَرَضاً وما عرَّضتُها

أحببتُها عَرَضاً وما عرَّضتُها

وذكرتُها طرباً وما سَمَّيتُها

وذكرتُها طرباً وما سَمَّيتُها

I loved her by chance and did not expose her.

I loved her temporarily, not intending it

And I spoke of her in rapture, but did not name her.

And remembered her happily, not naming her

بأريضةٍ ومريضةٍ لقّبتُها

بأريضةٍ ومريضةٍ لقّبتُها

وبأمِّ خَشفٍ للنَّديمِ كنَيتُها

وبأمِّ خَشفٍ للنَّديمِ كنَيتُها

I nicknamed her 'Comely' and 'Ailing',

I nicknamed her “my little plot of land” and “my little patient”

And to the boon companion I called her 'Mother of a Fawn'.

And to my drinking buddy, “mother of unkempt hair”

هي طفلةٌ بكرٌ ألذُّ من الكَرى

هي طفلةٌ بكرٌ ألذُّ من الكَرى

فلكم رأيتُ السَّعدَ منذُ رأيتُها

فلكم رأيتُ السَّعدَ منذُ رأيتُها

She is a virgin girl, sweeter than slumber;

She is a virgin girl, sweeter than perfume

So often have I seen good fortune since I saw her!

So often have I seen bliss since I saw her

ما قلبُها إلا كبُرعمِ وَردَةٍ

ما قلبُها إلا كبُرعمِ وَردَةٍ

مرَّ النسيمُ بهِ إذا ناجَيتُها

مرَّ النسيمُ بهِ إذا ناجَيتُها

Her heart is just like the bud of a rose;

Her heart is but a budding rose

The breeze passed over it whenever I whispered to her.

When the breeze blows through it as I confide in her

الحبُّ نوَّرَ مُقلتيها بعدَ ما

الحبُّ نوَّرَ مُقلتيها بعدَ ما

صارت سِراجاً لي وحبّي زَيتُها

صارت سِراجاً لي وحبّي زَيتُها

Love lit her eyes after

Love illuminated her eyelids after they

She became a lamp for me, and my love was her oil.

Became a lamp for me, and my love its oil

يا ليتَها زهرٌ وليتي كمُّهُ

يا ليتَها زهرٌ وليتي كمُّهُ

أوليتَها كفَنٌ وليتي مَيتُها

أوليتَها كفَنٌ وليتي مَيتُها

Ah, would that she were a blossom and I its calyx!

Oh, if only she were a flower and I its gardener

Or would that she were a shroud and I her corpse!

Or if only she were my shroud and I her dead