ياO فاترlanguid الجفونthe eyelids ماwhat بداcame over لكyou
يا فاتر الجفون ما بدا لك
حتىthat جفوتyou spurned عاشقاًa lover of جمالكyour beauty
حتى جفوت عاشقاً جمالك
O you of languid eyelids, what came over you,
O you who closes his eyelids, what made you
That you spurned a lover of your beauty?
Become cold to a lover of your beauty?
وياand O قضيبbough البانthe ban tree ماwhat أمالكturned you
ويا قضيب البان ما أمالك
عنaway from مغرمan enamored lover مؤملhoping for وصالكunion with you
عن مغرم مؤمل وصالك
And O bough of the ban tree, what turned you away
And O slender-waisted one, what led you
From an enamored lover hoping for union with you?
To torment a passionate desirer of your intimacy?
عذبtorment بماwith whatever ترضاهyou are pleased with it ياO غزاليmy gazelle
عذب بما ترضاه يا غزالي
إلاexcept الجفاestrangement شماتةgloating of العذالthe reproachers
إلا الجفا شماتة العذال
Torment me as you please, O my gazelle,
Punish me as you wish, my gazelle,
But not with estrangement, which makes the reproachers gloat.
But not with coldness, the gloating of the envious.
أنعمsoothe بوصلwith union منكfrom you يوماًfor a day باليmy mind
أنعم بوصل منك يوماً بالي
أنعمmay ... soothe طولthroughout العمرlife ربيmy Lord بالكyour mind
أنعم طول العمر ربي بالك
Soothe my mind with one day's union with you;
Bestow on me a day of union with you, my afflicted one,
May my Lord soothe your mind throughout your life.
May my Lord bestow you upon me forever.
علامَwhy تجفونيyou shun me وماand there is no ليfor me ذنبfault
علامَ تجفوني وما لي ذنب
وماand there is no لقلبيfor my heart عنaway from هواكlove of you قلبturning
وما لقلبي عن هواك قلب
Why do you shun me, when I have done no wrong?
Why do you spurn me when I have no fault?
And my heart cannot turn away from love of you.
And my heart has no other love but you, by the right of the One who created you, whom you love,
بحقby the right of منthe one who أولاكgranted you ماwhat تحبّyou love
بحق من أولاك ما تحبّ
دعنيlet me أقبلkiss مرةonce أذيالكyour robe-hems
دعني أقبل مرة أذيالك
For the sake of Him who granted you what you love,
Let me kiss your hem once.
Let me kiss the hems of your robes once.
I have no more patience for being turned away,
لمnot يبقremains ليfor me علىto withstand الصدودrejection طَوْقstrength
لم يبق لي على الصدود طَوْق
وعالand has overcome صبريmy patience عنكaway from you هذاthis الشوقlonging
وعال صبري عنك هذا الشوق
I have no strength left to endure your rejection,
And my patience for you has run out from this yearning,
And this longing has overcome my patience in your absence.
And I have no craving but for you,
وليسand there is no ليfor me إلىfor سواكanyone other than you توقyearning
وليس لي إلى سواك توق
وهلand can لعينيfor my eye أنto ترىsee أمثالكothers like you
وهل لعيني أن ترى أمثالك
And I have no yearning for anyone but you.
And can my eyes behold any but you?
And can my eye behold others like you?
I have deprived my eyes of sleep in the nights,
أحرمتI deprived طرفيmy eye فيduring اللياليthe nights غمضاsleep
أحرمت طرفي في الليالي غمضا
وقلتand I said أرضىI am content علَّهperhaps he أنthat يرضىhe may be pleased
وقلت أرضى علَّه أن يرضى
I have denied my eye sleep through the nights,
And said, perhaps this would please him.
And said, 'I am content; perhaps he will be pleased.'
O can you see your coldness towards me as a duty?
ياO هلdo ترىyou consider صدكyour turning away عنيfrom me فرضاan obligation
يا هل ترى صدك عني فرضا
فمنso who بقتليon killing me ياO رشاgazelle fawn أفتىissued a legal ruling لكfor you
فمن بقتلي يا رشا أفتى لك
Oh, do you deem your turning away from me a duty?
So who should I blame, O Rasha, for killing me?
Who, then, O gazelle fawn, ruled that you may kill me?
I beseech you by God, grant me a respite,
ناشدتكI implore you اللهGod أنلنيgrant me سوليmy wish
ناشدتك الله أنلني سولي
وكنand be رفيقاًgentle بيwith me ياO مأموليmy hoped-for one
وكن رفيقاً بي يا مأمولي
I implore you by God: grant me my wish,
And be a companion to me, O my hope!
And be gentle with me, O object of my hope.
What you see of my leanness is enough
يكفيsuffices الذيwhat تراهyou see it منof نحوليmy wasting
يكفي الذي تراه من نحولي
يعيذmay ... protect ربthe Lord of العرشthe Throne منهfrom it حالكyour condition
يعيذ رب العرش منه حالك
The wasting you see in me is enough;
To protect one like you from it.
May the Lord of the Throne protect you from it.
Partial English translation: 23 of 24 Arabic lines translated.