لمّاwhen ثنتshe bent جيدneck الغزالthe gazelle وأعرضتand she turned away
لمّا ثنت جيد الغزال وأعرضت
أراكshowed you الهوىlove فيin لحظهاher glance لحظthe look of عاتبِone reproaching
أراك الهوى في لحظها لحظ عاتبِ
When the gazelle arched her neck and turned away,
When she bent her gazelle-like neck and turned away,
Love showed you, within her glance, the look of one reproaching.
Love showed you in her glance the look of one reproaching.
فلمand did not أدرI know ماwhat العتبىamends ولاnor كنتI was مذنباًguilty
فلم أدر ما العتبى ولا كنت مذنباً
سوىexcept أننيthat I مستشعرٌwearing next to the skin ثوبthe robe of تائبِa penitent
سوى أنني مستشعرٌ ثوب تائبِ
I knew neither how to appease her, nor had I sinned,
I knew not what amends to make, nor had I done wrong,
save that I had donned a penitent’s robe.
Except that I wore a penitent's robe next to my skin.
وماand not لحظتكlooked at you العينthe eye منيof mine بنظرةwith a glance
وما لحظتك العين مني بنظرة
فتقلعthen it stops looking إلّاexcept عنfrom دموعtears سواكبِstreaming
فتقلع إلّا عن دموع سواكبِ
Never did my eye look upon you, even once,
Never did my eye cast a glance upon you
then turn away, save through streaming tears.
And then turn away save with tears streaming down.
وإنيand indeed I لأستدعيsurely summon بكthrough you الحزنsorrow والبكاand weeping
وإني لأستدعي بك الحزن والبكا
إذاwhen غاضdried up دمعيmy tears عندat بعضsome of المصائبِthe misfortunes
إذا غاض دمعي عند بعض المصائبِ
Indeed, through you I summon sorrow and weeping
And indeed, through you I summon sorrow and weeping,
whenever, amid some calamity, my tears run dry.
When my tears run dry in the face of some misfortunes.
