أفديه ليلة زارني متستراً

أفديه ليلة زارني متستراً

هنديه في كفه مسلولا

هنديه في كفه مسلولا

I would ransom him—the night he visited me in secret,

I sacrifice him the night he visited me stealthily

His Indian sword unsheathed in his palm,

An Indian in his palm holding a sword

خوف الوشاة ولو رنت أجفانه

خوف الوشاة ولو رنت أجفانه

جعل الحسام بما أراد كفيلا

جعل الحسام بما أراد كفيلا

For fear of slanderers—and had his eyelids cast a glance,

Fearing the slanderers even if his eyelids rang

He would have made the sword guarantor of what he desired.

The sword made what he wanted guaranteed

فشغلت عن تقبيله بمدامع

فشغلت عن تقبيله بمدامع

لو كن سيلا ما وجدن مسيلا

لو كن سيلا ما وجدن مسيلا

So I was distracted from kissing him by tears

So I busied myself from kissing him with tears

That, had they been a torrent, would have found no channel.

If it was a flood no channel would be found

ووجدته مترفقاً في لثمه

ووجدته مترفقاً في لثمه

فكأنه آس يجس عليلا

فكأنه آس يجس عليلا

And I found him gentle in his kissing,

And I found him gently kissing

As though he were a physician examining a sick man by touch.

As if he was a benevolent doctor healing a patient

ما نلت ما أملت منه وإنما

ما نلت ما أملت منه وإنما

أجلى تمثل في فؤادي سولا

أجلى تمثل في فؤادي سولا

I did not attain what I hoped for from him; instead,

I did not get what I hoped from him, rather

My death took shape in my heart as a wish.

He left behind in my heart an ardent craving