قَدْ بَذلْنا النُّفُوسَ يَا أُخْتَ سَعْدِ

قَدْ بَذلْنا النُّفُوسَ يَا أُخْتَ سَعْدِ

فَاقْبَلِيهَا نَقْداً وَجُودِي بِوَعْدَ

فَاقْبَلِيهَا نَقْداً وَجُودِي بِوَعْدَ

We have indeed offered up our souls, O sister of Sa'd;

We have sacrificed our souls, oh sister of Saad

so accept them as ready payment, and be generous with a promise.

So accept them as my gift of generosity and promise

وَنَثَرْنَا دُمُوعَنَا فَانْظِمِيهَا

وَنَثَرْنَا دُمُوعَنَا فَانْظِمِيهَا

فَهْيَ أَبْهَى مِنْ كُلِّ لوْلُؤِ عِقْدِ

فَهْيَ أَبْهَى مِنْ كُلِّ لوْلُؤِ عِقْدِ

And we have scattered our tears, so string them together,

And we have shed our tears so string them together

for they are more radiant than any pearl in a necklace.

For they are more dazzling than any pearl necklace

يَا ابنَْةَ القَوْمِ يَكُنْ لَكِ بُرْدٌ

يَا ابنَْةَ القَوْمِ يَكُنْ لَكِ بُرْدٌ

مِنْ بَدِيعِ الجَمَالِ فَالسُّقْمُ بُرَدِي

مِنْ بَدِيعِ الجَمَالِ فَالسُّقْمُ بُرَدِي

O daughter of the tribe, may yours be a mantle

O daughter of the people, may you have a coolness

of wondrous beauty, for sickness is my raiment.

Of exquisite beauty, so my illness is a coolness

كَيْفَ أَبْغِي وَرْداً بَرَوْضٍ وَوِرْداً

كَيْفَ أَبْغِي وَرْداً بَرَوْضٍ وَوِرْداً

مِنْ مُدَامٍ وَمِنْكِ وَرْدِي وَوِرْدِي

مِنْ مُدَامٍ وَمِنْكِ وَرْدِي وَوِرْدِي

How can I seek roses in a garden, and a draught

How can I wish for roses in the garden and a rose

of wine, when from you come my roses and my draught?

From wine and from you - my rose and my rose

جَنَّةٌ حُسْنُهُا كَحُسْنِ وِصَالٍ

جَنَّةٌ حُسْنُهُا كَحُسْنِ وِصَالٍ

فِيهِ مِنْ خَالِهَا بَقِيَّةُ صَدِّ

فِيهِ مِنْ خَالِهَا بَقِيَّةُ صَدِّ

Her beauty is a paradise, like the beauty of union,

A paradise whose beauty is like the beauty of union

in which her beauty spot leaves a trace of rejection.

In it remains a trace of her cheek’s birthmark

قَدْ تَعَدَّتْ عَلى النُّفُوسِ وَلَكِنْ

قَدْ تَعَدَّتْ عَلى النُّفُوسِ وَلَكِنْ

لاَ يُسَمِّيِهِ عَاشِقُوهَا تَعَدِّي

لاَ يُسَمِّيِهِ عَاشِقُوهَا تَعَدِّي

She has indeed transgressed against souls, yet

It has exceeded the souls but those who love it

her lovers do not call it transgression.

Do not call it excessiveness

مَا رَأَيْنَا مَنْ صَيَّرِ الجَفْنَ سَيْفاً

مَا رَأَيْنَا مَنْ صَيَّرِ الجَفْنَ سَيْفاً

يَخْجِلُ الهِنْدَ غَيْرَ أَجْفَانِ هِندِ

يَخْجِلُ الهِنْدَ غَيْرَ أَجْفَانِ هِندِ

We have seen no eyelid made into a sword

We have not seen anyone who makes the eyelid a sword

that puts India to shame, save the eyelids of Hind.

That shames India except for the eyelids of India

قَالَ لَِي خَدُّهَا الصَّقِيلُ وَقَدْ صَارَ

قَالَ لَِي خَدُّهَا الصَّقِيلُ وَقَدْ صَارَ

مِرْآةً مَاذَا تَرَى قُلْتُ خَدِّي

مِرْآةً مَاذَا تَرَى قُلْتُ خَدِّي

Her polished cheek said to me, having become

Her polished cheek said to me when it became

a mirror: 'What do you see?' I said, 'My cheek.'

A mirror - what do you see? I said: my cheek