ريمٌa gazelle يَجرّحنيwounds me بِطَرفهِwith his glance
ريمٌ يَجرّحني بِطَرفهِ
وَيُذيبand melts أَحشايَmy innards بِصَدفِهِby his turning away
وَيُذيب أَحشايَ بِصَدفِهِ
A gazelle wounds me with his glance,
And melts my innards by turning away.
أَخفيI conceal هَواهُlove for him جاحِداًin denial
أَخفي هَواهُ جاحِداً
وَالدَمعand tears يَفضَحَنيbetray me بِوَكفهwith their flow
وَالدَمع يَفضَحَني بِوَكفه
I hide my love for him, denying it,
Yet tears betray me with their flow.
وَيحalas for المُتَيمthe love-stricken one ماwhat يُقاhe suffers (first part)
وَيح المُتَيم ما يُقا
سيcompletion of ‘he suffers’ فيin الهَوىlove مِنfrom صَدrejection of أَلفِهِhis beloved
سي في الهَوى مِن صَد أَلفِهِ
Alas for the love-stricken—what he suffers
In love from his beloved’s rejection!
أَعياhas exhausted الهَوىlove حيليmy stratagems كَماjust as
أَعيا الهَوى حيلي كَما
أَعياhas baffled الخَواطرminds كَنهُthe true essence of وَصفهthe description of him
أَعيا الخَواطر كَنهُ وَصفه
Love has exhausted my stratagems, just as
Describing him fully has baffled minds.
أَربىhe surpasses عَلىbeyond لُطفthe gentleness of النَسيthe breeze (first part)
أَربى عَلى لُطف النَسي
مcompletion of ‘the breeze’ بِفَرطthrough the extreme degree of رقتهِhis delicacy وَلُطفهand his gentleness
م بِفَرط رقتهِ وَلُطفه
He surpasses the breeze in gentleness
Through his extreme delicacy and gentleness.
وَلَقدand indeed تُخيّلُconjure up ليfor me المُنىwishes
وَلَقد تُخيّلُ لي المُنى
فَمهُhis mouth فأَسكرand so I grow drunk دُونَwithout رَشفِهِsipping from it
فَمهُ فأَسكر دُونَ رَشفِهِ
And indeed, my wishes conjure up for me
His mouth, and I grow drunk without sipping from it.
يَقتادُhe leads captive أَفئدةthe hearts of الوَرىhumankind
يَقتادُ أَفئدة الوَرى
بِجَمالِهِwith his beauty أَبَداًforever وَظَرفهand his charm
بِجَمالِهِ أَبَداً وَظَرفه
He takes the hearts of humankind captive
Forever, with his beauty and charm.
ياO وَيحwoe to قَلبيmy heart مِنbecause of قَساhardness (first part)
يا وَيح قَلبي مِن قَسا
وةcompletion of ‘hardness’ قَلبِهِhis heart مَعalongside لينthe suppleness of عَطفِهِhis flank
وة قَلبِهِ مَع لين عَطفِهِ
Alas for my heart, at the hardness
Of his heart, despite his supple flank!
وَلَقَدand indeed أَقولI say لَهُto him وَقَدand already
وَلَقَد أَقول لَهُ وَقَد
قَرنhas joined اللُقاthe meeting كَفيmy palm بِكَفِهِwith his palm
قَرن اللُقا كَفي بِكَفِهِ
And indeed I say to him, when
Our meeting has joined my palm to his:
مَولايَmy lord قَدindeed وَفاكhas rendered you in full مَضyour languishing lover (first part)
مَولايَ قَد وَفاك مَض
ناكcompletion of ‘your languishing lover’ الوَفاfidelity حَقّاًtruly فَوفَّهso give him his due
ناك الوَفا حَقّاً فَوفَّه
“My lord, your languishing lover has given you
True fidelity—so give him his due.
أَمننbestow a favor عَلَيَّupon me بِلَثمby kissing وَرthe rose (first part)
أَمنن عَلَيَّ بِلَثم وَر
دcompletion of ‘the rose’ الخَدthe cheek أَوor فبشمthen by smelling عَرفهits fragrance
د الخَد أَو فبشم عَرفه
Grant me the favor of kissing the rose
Of your cheek, or else of smelling its fragrance.”
فَأَجابَنيthen he answered me مِنهُfrom him بِأَلwith words (first part)
فَأَجابَني مِنهُ بِأَل
فاظcompletion of ‘words’ تَماثلmatch سحرthe magic of طَرفِهِhis gaze
فاظ تَماثل سحر طَرفِهِ
Then he answered me in his own
Words, matching the magic of his gaze:
أَخشاكI fear you تَذبلُهُyou will wither it بِأَنwith breaths (first part)
أَخشاك تَذبلُهُ بِأَن
فاسcompletion of ‘breaths’ الصَبابةardent longing عِندَupon قَطفِهِplucking it
فاس الصَبابة عِندَ قَطفِهِ
“I fear you will wither it with the
Breaths of ardent longing when you pluck it.”