أشعلتْ في كبدي جَمْرَ الغَضَا

أشعلتْ في كبدي جَمْرَ الغَضَا

ظَبيَةٌ تَسبِي البرَايا في المَهَا

ظَبيَةٌ تَسبِي البرَايا في المَهَا

She kindled the embers of ghada wood in my liver—

She kindled embers of passion in my heart,

A gazelle among the oryx, captivating all creation.

A gazelle grazing the plains in the dusk.

كَلَمَتْ قَلبِي بِلَحظٍ فَاتِرٍ

كَلَمَتْ قَلبِي بِلَحظٍ فَاتِرٍ

تركتني في الدُّجى أرعَى السُّها

تركتني في الدُّجى أرعَى السُّها

She wounded my heart with a languid glance.

She spoke to my heart with a weary glance,

She left me in the darkness, watching Suha.

Leaving me in the gloom, tending to forgetfulness.

كلَّما رُمْتُ وِصالاً ما طَلَتْ

كلَّما رُمْتُ وِصالاً ما طَلَتْ

ما لَهَا لوْ وَاصَلَتْني مَا لَهَا

ما لَهَا لوْ وَاصَلَتْني مَا لَهَا

Whenever I sought union, she stalled.

Whenever I sought union, she did not ask,

What harm to her if she joined me—what harm to her?

What good would it do her, if she had united with me?

أكسَبَتْ بّدرَ التمَامِ حُسنَهُ

أكسَبَتْ بّدرَ التمَامِ حُسنَهُ

أخذَتْ شمس الضُّحى منها البَها

أخذَتْ شمس الضُّحى منها البَها

She bestowed its beauty on the full moon.

The full moon gained its beauty,

The midmorning sun took its radiance from her.

The morning sun took its splendor from her.

برِحَ الوَاشي بِسحْرٍ بَاطِلٍ

برِحَ الوَاشي بِسحْرٍ بَاطِلٍ

إنَّ ذاك الوَاشي وَاللهِ سَهَا

إنَّ ذاك الوَاشي وَاللهِ سَهَا

The slanderer departed with a false spell.

The enchanted one wandered, with hollow sorcery,

Indeed, that slanderer, by God, was mistaken.

By God, that enchanted one had simply made a mistake.