أشكو إلى الله من نارَيْن واحدة

أشكو إلى الله من نارَيْن واحدة

في وَجْنَتيْه وأخرى منه في كَبِدي

في وَجْنَتيْه وأخرى منه في كَبِدي

I complain to God of two fires: one

I complain to God of two fires, one

in his cheeks, and another, from him, in my liver.

In my cheeks, the other in my liver

ومِن سَقامَيْن سُقْم قد أحلَّ دمي

ومِن سَقامَيْن سُقْم قد أحلَّ دمي

من الجُفون وسُقم حَلَّ في جَسدي

من الجُفون وسُقم حَلَّ في جَسدي

And of two ailments: a languor that has made my blood lawful to shed,

And of two ailments, an ailment that made my blood ill

from his eyelids, and a sickness that has settled in my body.

From my eyelids, and an ailment that settled in my body

ومِن نَمُومَيْن دمعي حين أذكُره

ومِن نَمُومَيْن دمعي حين أذكُره

يُذيعُ سِرّي وواشٍ منه بالرَّصَد

يُذيعُ سِرّي وواشٍ منه بالرَّصَد

And of two telltales: my tears, when I remember him,

And of two slumbers, my tears when I remember him

reveal my secret, and a tale-bearer of his lies in wait.

Spread my secret, and a watcher watching me

ومن ضعيفين صَبْرِي حين أذكره

ومن ضعيفين صَبْرِي حين أذكره

وودّه ويراه الناسُ طَوْعَ يدي

وودّه ويراه الناسُ طَوْعَ يدي

And of two weak things: my patience when I remember him,

And of two weaknesses, my patience when I remember him

and his affection, though people see him as obedient to my hand.

And his love, and people see him willingly in my hands

مُهَفْهفٌ رقّ حتى قلتُ من عَجَبٍ

مُهَفْهفٌ رقّ حتى قلتُ من عَجَبٍ

أَخْصَرُه خِنْصَري أم جِلْدُه جَلَدي

أَخْصَرُه خِنْصَري أم جِلْدُه جَلَدي

Slender-waisted, so delicate that I said in wonder:

Sighing tenderly until I said in wonder

Is his waist my little finger, or his skin my endurance?

Is his waist my waist or is his skin my skin