هَبونيgrant that I أَغُضُّI lower my gaze إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle بَدَتshe appears
هَبوني أَغُضُّ إِذا ما بَدَت
وَأملِكُand I control طَرفيmy gaze فَلاso not أَنظُرُI look
وَأملِكُ طَرفي فَلا أَنظُرُ
Grant that I lower my gaze whenever she appears,
and control my gaze, so that I do not look;
فَكَيفَthen how اِستِتاريmy concealment إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle الدُموعُthe tears
فَكَيفَ اِستِتاري إِذا ما الدُموعُ
نَطَقنَthey spoke فَبُحنَand so divulged بِماof what أُضمِرُI conceal
نَطَقنَ فَبُحنَ بِما أُضمِرُ
then how can I conceal myself when the tears
speak and divulge what I keep hidden?
فَياso O مَنyou who سُروريmy joy بِهِthrough him شِقوَةٌmisery
فَيا مَن سُروري بِهِ شِقوَةٌ
وَمَنand you who صَفوُserenity عَيشيmy life بِهِthrough him يَكدُرُgrows clouded
وَمَن صَفوُ عَيشي بِهِ يَكدُرُ
So, O you through whom my joy is misery,
and through whom my life's serenity grows clouded,
لَعَلَّكَperhaps you جَرَّبتَنيyou tested me بِالصُدوby turning away (continued)
لَعَلَّكَ جَرَّبتَني بِالصُدو
دِend of 'turning away' عَمداًdeliberately لِتَنظُرَso you may see هَلwhether أُقصِرُI desist
دِ عَمداً لِتَنظُرَ هَل أُقصِرُ
perhaps you tested me by turning
away deliberately, to see whether I would desist.
فَلاso do not تُكذَبَنَّbe deceived فَإِنَّfor indeed السُلُforgetting love (continued)
فَلا تُكذَبَنَّ فَإِنَّ السُلُ
وَّend of 'forgetting love' لِلقَلبِfor the heart مَوعِدُهُits appointed time المَحشَرُthe Resurrection gathering
وَّ لِلقَلبِ مَوعِدُهُ المَحشَرُ
So do not be deceived, for forgetting
love is appointed for the heart at the Resurrection.
وَأَشهَدُand I bear witness أَنَّكَthat you بيin me واثِقٌtrusting
وَأَشهَدُ أَنَّكَ بي واثِقٌ
وَإِنand even though كُنتَyou are تُظهِرُyou show ماwhat تُظهِرُyou show
وَإِن كُنتَ تُظهِرُ ما تُظهِرُ
And I bear witness that you trust me,
even though you show what you show,
وَأَنَّكَand that you تَعرِفُنيyou know me بِالوَفاءِfor faithfulness
وَأَنَّكَ تَعرِفُني بِالوَفاءِ
وَسَترِand concealing الحَديثِthe story وَلاand not تُنكِرُyou deny
وَسَترِ الحَديثِ وَلا تُنكِرُ
and that you know me for my faithfulness
and for keeping the story secret—you do not deny it.
وَلَكِنbut تَجَنَّيتَyou fabricated accusations لَمّاwhen مَلِلتَyou grew weary
وَلَكِن تَجَنَّيتَ لَمّا مَلِلتَ
فَأَنشَأَتَso you began تَذكُرُyou mention ماwhat تَذكُرُyou mention
فَأَنشَأَتَ تَذكُرُ ما تَذكُرُ
But you fabricated accusations when you grew weary,
so you began mentioning what you mention.
تَعَتَّبتَyou reproached تَطلُبُyou seek ماsomething that أَستَحِقُّI deserve
تَعَتَّبتَ تَطلُبُ ما أَستَحِقُّ
بِهِbecause of it الهَجرَabandonment مِنكَfrom you وَلاand not تَقدِرُyou are able
بِهِ الهَجرَ مِنكَ وَلا تَقدِرُ
You reproached me, seeking something for which I would deserve
abandonment by you, but you cannot find it.
وَماذاand what يَضُرُّكَharms you مِنfrom شُهرَتيmy fame
وَماذا يَضُرُّكَ مِن شُهرَتي
إِذاif كانَis سِرُّكَyour secret لاnot يُشهَرُis publicized
إِذا كانَ سِرُّكَ لا يُشهَرُ
And what harm does my fame do you,
if your secret is not made public?
أَمِنّيfrom me? تَخافُyou fear اِنتِشارَspreading الحَديثِthe story
أَمِنّي تَخافُ اِنتِشارَ الحَديثِ
وَحَظِّيَand my stake مِنfrom صَونِهِsafeguarding it أَوفَرُgreater
وَحَظِّيَ مِن صَونِهِ أَوفَرُ
Do you fear the story will spread through me,
when my stake in keeping it secret is greater?
وَلَوand even if لَمnot يَكُنthere were فِيَّin me بُقياcompassion عَلَيكَfor you
وَلَو لَم يَكُن فِيَّ بُقيا عَلَيكَ
نَظَرتُI would look out لِنَفسيfor myself كَماas تَنظُرُyou look out
نَظَرتُ لِنَفسي كَما تَنظُرُ
And even if I felt no compassion for you,
I would look out for myself, just as you do.
إِذاif كُنتَyou are تَحذَرُنيyou are wary of me فيin الرِضاcontentment
إِذا كُنتَ تَحذَرُني في الرِضا
وَتَزعُمُand you claim أَنِّيَthat I لاnot أَستُرُI conceal
وَتَزعُمُ أَنِّيَ لا أَستُرُ
If you are wary of me when we are on good terms,
and claim that I do not keep secrets,
فَماso what لَكَfor you تَهجُرُنيyou abandon me ظالِماًunjustly
فَما لَكَ تَهجُرُني ظالِماً
وَتُغضِبُنيand you anger me ثُمَّthen لاnot تَحذَرُyou are wary
وَتُغضِبُني ثُمَّ لا تَحذَرُ
why, then, do you wrongfully abandon me,
and anger me, then feel no fear?
وَلَوand even if أَنَّنيthat I كُنتُI was مِنof صَخرَةٍa rock
وَلَو أَنَّني كُنتُ مِن صَخرَةٍ
إِذاًthen ماnot صَبَرتُI would endure كَماas تَصبِرُyou endure
إِذاً ما صَبَرتُ كَما تَصبِرُ
And even if I were made of rock,
I would not then endure as you endure.