اِن كانَ مَوتُكَ مِن قَسى حَواجِبَ

اِن كانَ مَوتُكَ مِن قَسى حَواجِبَ

كَالنونِ أَو من سحر جفن ذابِل

كَالنونِ أَو من سحر جفن ذابِل

If your death came from the bows of eyebrows,

If your death was from the hardness of frowning brows

Like the letter nūn, or from the magic of a languid eyelid,

Like a nun, or from the magic of a withering eyelid,

أَو غُرة مِثل النَهار وَطرة

أَو غُرة مِثل النَهار وَطرة

كَاللَيلِ أَو مِن جور قد عادِل

كَاللَيلِ أَو مِن جور قد عادِل

Or from a bright forehead like day, and a forelock

Or the rashness of daytime like nighttime,

Like night, or from the injustice of a fair figure,

Or from the injustice that has been made right,

أَو مِن لِحاظ تسحر الاِلباب اِذ

أَو مِن لِحاظ تسحر الاِلباب اِذ

تُروى لَنا سَلب النُهى عَن بابِل

تُروى لَنا سَلب النُهى عَن بابِل

Or from glances that bewitch minds, as

Or from a gaze that enchants intellects

The theft of reason is recounted to us from Babylon,

When unlawful sights from Babylon are shown to us,

فَهي الَّتي فَعَلت وَلَم أَشعُر بِما

فَهي الَّتي فَعَلت وَلَم أَشعُر بِما

فَعَلت فَكَيفَ تَلومَني يا سائِلي

فَعَلت فَكَيفَ تَلومَني يا سائِلي

It was they that did it, and I was unaware of what

It is she who has done it, though I was unaware

They did. How, then, can you blame me, O my questioner?

Of what she did, so how can you blame me, O questioner?

أَنا ما قَتَلتُ وَاِنَّما أَنا آلَة

أَنا ما قَتَلتُ وَاِنَّما أَنا آلَة

في القَتلِ فَاِطلُب اِن ترد من قاتِلي

في القَتلِ فَاِطلُب اِن ترد من قاتِلي

I did not kill; I am only an instrument

I did not kill, but I am only an instrument

In killing; so seek requital, if you wish, from my killer.

Of killing, so seek, if you want, my killer.

وَمَتى أَريد قصاص سيف أَوقَنا

وَمَتى أَريد قصاص سيف أَوقَنا

هَل مِن سَميع مِثل ذا أَو قائِل

هَل مِن سَميع مِثل ذا أَو قائِل

And when was retribution ever sought from a sword or spears?

And when I want vengeance for a sword or spear,

Has anyone heard or spoken of the like of this?

Is there one who hears the like of this or says it?

وَاللَهُ قَد خَلَقَ الجَميلَ وَلَم يَقُل

وَاللَهُ قَد خَلَقَ الجَميلَ وَلَم يَقُل

هيموا بِلين قَده المُتَمايِل

هيموا بِلين قَده المُتَمايِل

And God did create the beautiful one, but did not say:

And God created beauty and did not say

“Be mad with love for the suppleness of his swaying figure.”

"Sway with the softness of its bending branches."

ما قالَ رَبُّكَ قَط يا عَبدي أَطل

ما قالَ رَبُّكَ قَط يا عَبدي أَطل

نَظر الملاح وَيا جَميلَه واصِلي

نَظر الملاح وَيا جَميلَه واصِلي

Your Lord never said, “O my servant, prolong

Your Lord never said, "O My servant, look

Your gaze at beauties; and, O beautiful woman, grant union.”

At the sailor's gaze and join him, My beautiful one."

فَعَلام تَطلُب بِالدِماءِ وَتَدعى

فَعَلام تَطلُب بِالدِماءِ وَتَدعى

زورا وَتَطمَع في محال باطِل

زورا وَتَطمَع في محال باطِل

Why, then, do you demand vengeance for bloodshed and make claims

Why do you seek blood and falsely claim

Falsely, and hope for a vain impossibility?

In vain, hoping for the impossible?