واهاً لِجائِلَةِ الوِشاحِ سَرَتْ

واهاً لِجائِلَةِ الوِشاحِ سَرَتْ

وَنَواشِيءُ الظَّلْماءِ تَعْتَرِضُ

وَنَواشِيءُ الظَّلْماءِ تَعْتَرِضُ

Ah, for her whose sash swings loose—she journeyed by night,

Alas for the tribe whose tattered shawl has passed,

while gathering shadows of darkness barred the way.

And the dark shadows that bar my path.

وَمَلَأْتُ مَسْحَبَ ذَيْلِها قُبَلاً

وَمَلَأْتُ مَسْحَبَ ذَيْلِها قُبَلاً

وَلَدَيَّ حَقُّ الزَّوْرِ مُفْتَرَضُ

وَلَدَيَّ حَقُّ الزَّوْرِ مُفْتَرَضُ

And I filled the path swept by her hem with kisses,

With trailing hems I filled their drinking bowls,

and a visitor's due is binding upon me.

Yet still on me they falsely blame.

فَنَأَتْ وَثَغْرُ الصُّبْحِ مُبْتَسِمٌ

فَنَأَتْ وَثَغْرُ الصُّبْحِ مُبْتَسِمٌ

وَدَنَتْ وَطَرْفُ النَّجْمِ مُغْتَمِضُ

وَدَنَتْ وَطَرْفُ النَّجْمِ مُغْتَمِضُ

Then she departed, while dawn's mouth smiled,

Dawn broke, smiling, rose-lipped,

and she drew near, while the star's eye was shut.

And still the star's eye blinked and closed.

وَالجِسْمُ مِنّي مُشْعِرٌ مَرَضاً

وَالجِسْمُ مِنّي مُشْعِرٌ مَرَضاً

مُذْ دَبَّ في أَلْحاظِها المَرَضُ

مُذْ دَبَّ في أَلْحاظِها المَرَضُ

And my body is clad in sickness,

My body ached from their diseased glances

since languor crept into her glances.

Since in their eyes first gleamed disease's glow.

وَسِهامُها نَحْوي مُفَوَّقَةٌ

وَسِهامُها نَحْوي مُفَوَّقَةٌ

أُرْمَى بِها وَفُؤادِيَ الغَرَضُ

أُرْمَى بِها وَفُؤادِيَ الغَرَضُ

And her arrows are nocked and aimed at me;

Their arrows at me all came winged with skill;

I am shot at with them, and my heart is the target.

My heart their butt, though blameless of their woes.