أَقولُI say حِذاراًfor fear أَنthat يَتِمَّbecome complete صُدودُهاher rejection
أَقولُ حِذاراً أَن يَتِمَّ صُدودُها
إِذاwhen ماan emphatic particle بَدَتshe shows herself بِالظُلمِwith injustice إِنّيindeed I أَظلَمُam more unjust
إِذا ما بَدَت بِالظُلمِ إِنّي أَظلَمُ
I say, for fear her rejection should become complete,
I say beware lest her obstinacy be complete
whenever she acts unjustly, “I am more unjust.”
If she appears with injustice, then I am more unjust
فَياso, O وَيحَalas for نَفسيmy soul إِنif تَمادىpersists الَّذيthat which بِهاwithin it
فَيا وَيحَ نَفسي إِن تَمادى الَّذي بِها
مِنَof الحُبِّlove لاnot تبلىit perishes وَلاand not يَتَصَرَّمُcomes to an end
مِنَ الحُبِّ لا تبلى وَلا يَتَصَرَّمُ
So alas for my soul, if what is within it persists
Oh woe to my soul if what is in it persists
of love: my soul does not perish, nor does that love end.
Of love that neither wears out nor crumbles away