تعرَّضَ لي بعدَ السُّلوِ وما استحيَى

تعرَّضَ لي بعدَ السُّلوِ وما استحيَى

وأقرأني من سحرِ أجفانِه وَحْيَا

وأقرأني من سحرِ أجفانِه وَحْيَا

He approached me after I had ceased to pine, and felt no shame,

He approached me after tranquility without shame,

and made me read a revelation from the magic of his eyelids.

And recited to me the magic of his eyelids and life.

وغادرني بعدَ اندِمالِ صبابتي

وغادرني بعدَ اندِمالِ صبابتي

صريعَ غرامٍ لا أموتُ ولا أحيا

صريعَ غرامٍ لا أموتُ ولا أحيا

And left me, after my yearning had healed,

He left me after my youth had passed,

struck down by love, neither dying nor living.

A victim of love - neither alive nor dead.

ورام اعتذاري عن ذنوبٍ تقدّمَتْ

ورام اعتذاري عن ذنوبٍ تقدّمَتْ

وذمّةِ ودٍّ قد أساءَ لها رعيا

وذمّةِ ودٍّ قد أساءَ لها رعيا

He sought to apologize to me for past wrongs,

He wanted me to apologize for past sins,

and a pledge of affection he had kept so poorly.

And a bond of friendship he had badly tended.

وعارضَهُ زهوُ الدلالِ فلم يُطِقْ

وعارضَهُ زهوُ الدلالِ فلم يُطِقْ

لنخوتهِ إثباتَ عُذْرٍ ولا نَفْيَا

لنخوتهِ إثباتَ عُذْرٍ ولا نَفْيَا

But the vanity of coquetry thwarted him, and he could not,

But his arrogance prevented him

because of his pride, put forward an excuse or make a denial.

From admitting, due to his pride, any excuse or denial.

فيا موقفاً بين اعتذارٍ ونخوةٍ

فيا موقفاً بين اعتذارٍ ونخوةٍ

ألذَّ وأحلى من مساعدةِ الدنيا

ألذَّ وأحلى من مساعدةِ الدنيا

O, what a scene between apology and pride,

Oh what a standoff between apology and dignity -

more delightful and sweeter than the world's favor!

Sweeter and more delicious than worldly help.

ويا نظرةً شنَّتْ على القلبِ غارةً

ويا نظرةً شنَّتْ على القلبِ غارةً

وغادرتِ الصبرَ الجميلَ له سبيا

وغادرتِ الصبرَ الجميلَ له سبيا

And O, a glance that launched a raid upon the heart,

Oh glance that raided the heart,

and left gracious patience his captive!

And left patience beautifully captured.

ملكت عليّ الأمرَ في طاعةِ الهَوى

ملكت عليّ الأمرَ في طاعةِ الهَوى

فلا أمرَ لي ما دمتُ حيَّاً ولا نهيا

فلا أمرَ لي ما دمتُ حيَّاً ولا نهيا

You took command over me in obedience to passion,

You have power over me to obey passion -

so I can neither command nor forbid as long as I live.

I have no command or prohibition left alive.

أذكِّرُ بالبُقيا على السِرِّ بعدما

أذكِّرُ بالبُقيا على السِرِّ بعدما

فُضحتُ وهل بعدَ الفضيحةِ من بُقيا

فُضحتُ وهل بعدَ الفضيحةِ من بُقيا

I urge that the secret be spared, after

I am reminded of survival after being exposed -

I have been exposed—and after exposure, is there any mercy?

Is there anything left after disgrace?