ياO ظَبيَةَfemale gazelle القاعِthe level plain بَينَbetween الضالthe wild lote trees وَالسَمرِand the acacias
يا ظَبيَةَ القاعِ بَينَ الضال وَالسَمرِ
منwho كانَwas أَغراكِenticed you بالإِعراضِto turn away وَالخَفَرِand coyness
من كانَ أَغراكِ بالإِعراضِ وَالخَفَرِ
O gazelle of the lowland, amid wild lote and acacia,
O gazelle of the plain, between the wild lote trees and the acacias,
Who was it that lured you into aloofness and maidenly reserve?
Who was it that enticed you to turn away and be coy?
نَظَرتُI gazed يَومَon the day مروراتٍMarurat فأقصَدَنيand struck me down
نَظَرتُ يَومَ مروراتٍ فأقصَدَني
سَهمٌan arrow منfrom الوَحشِthe wild creatures راميهits archer مِنَof البَشَرِhumankind
سَهمٌ من الوَحشِ راميه مِنَ البَشَرِ
I looked, the day you passed by—and there struck me full
I gazed one day at Marurat, and was struck down
an arrow from the wild, though its archer was one of humankind.
By an arrow from a wild creature, whose archer was human.
قَدindeed كُنتُI was أَعجَبI marvel منat قولa saying مَضىhas taken its course قدرfate
قَد كُنتُ أَعجَب من قول مَضى قدر
فمنذso since ذَلِكthat قَدindeed آمنتُI believed بِالقَدرِin fate
فمنذ ذَلِك قَد آمنتُ بِالقَدرِ
I used to marvel at the saying, “The decree has come to pass”;
I used to marvel at the saying, 'Fate has taken its course';
from that moment on, I have believed in destiny.
So since then, I have indeed believed in fate.
