مُتَعاشقانِtwo mutual lovers مكاتمانِboth keeping secret هَواهُماtheir love
مُتَعاشقانِ مكاتمانِ هَواهُما
قدindeed نامَfell asleep بينهماbetween them both العِتابُreproach فطاباso both became happy
قد نامَ بينهما العِتابُ فطابا
Two lovers, keeping their love concealed;
Two lovers concealing their passion
Reproach has fallen asleep between them, and both are happy.
Resentment has faded between them so they are content
يتناقلانِthey exchange اللحظَglances منfrom جَفنَيهماtheir two eyelids
يتناقلانِ اللحظَ من جَفنَيهما
فكأنّماso, as though يتدارسانِthey study together كتاباa book
فكأنّما يتدارسانِ كتابا
They exchange glances from their eyelids,
Exchanging glances from their eyes
As though they were studying a book together.
As if studying a book together
وإذاand when هَدَتgrew still عينُthe eye الرقيبِof the watcher تخالستfurtively exchanged with one another
وإذا هَدَت عينُ الرقيبِ تخالست
كفّاهماtheir two palms خُلَسَfurtive snatches السَلامِof greeting سِلاباas plunder
كفّاهما خُلَسَ السَلامِ سِلابا
And when the watcher's eye grows still, they furtively exchange
And if the watcher's eyes grow heavy, they secretly converse
With their two palms, snatches of greeting as stolen spoils,
Their palms whispering greetings furtively
بأناملٍwith fingers منهُof his لوحُunclear form; apparently 'darkened' مدادهاtheir ink
بأناملٍ منهُ لوحُ مدادها
وأناملٍand fingers منهاof hers كُنسينَunclear form; apparently 'were clothed' خِضاباwith henna dye
وأناملٍ منها كُنسينَ خِضابا
With fingers of his, [darkened] by their ink,
His fingers being the ink and her fingers the parchment
And fingers of hers, [clothed] in henna.
As if she harvests grapes from his palm
فكأنماso, as though يجنيhe plucks لهاfor her منfrom كَفِّهِhis palm
فكأنما يجني لها من كَفِّهِ
عِنَباًgrapes وتجنيهand she plucks it لهُfor him عُنّاباjujubes
عِنَباً وتجنيه لهُ عُنّابا
So it is as though he plucks for her from his palm
And he harvests berries from hers
Grapes, and she plucks jujubes for him.
Partial English translation: 9 of 10 Arabic lines translated.