خَليلانِ باحا بِالهَوى فَتَشاحَنَت

خَليلانِ باحا بِالهَوى فَتَشاحَنَت

أَقارِبُها في وَصلها وَأَقارِبُه

أَقارِبُها في وَصلها وَأَقارِبُه

Two lovers revealed their passion, and then fell to quarreling.

Two lovers revealed their love, and strife arose

I draw near to her in union with her, and I draw near to him.

between her kin and his over union with her.

أَلا إِنَّ أَهوى الناسِ قُرباً وَرؤيَةً

أَلا إِنَّ أَهوى الناسِ قُرباً وَرؤيَةً

وَريحاً إِذا ما اللَيلُ غارَت كَواكِبُه

وَريحاً إِذا ما اللَيلُ غارَت كَواكِبُه

Know this: I am the most ardent of all people for nearness to you and the sight of you,

Lo, the dearest of people in nearness and sight,

and for your scent, when the stars of night have set.

and scent, when the stars of night have set,

ضَجيعٌ دَنا مِنّي جَذِلتُ بِقُربِهِ

ضَجيعٌ دَنا مِنّي جَذِلتُ بِقُربِهِ

فَباتَ يُمَنِّيني وَبِتُّ أُعاتِبُهُ

فَباتَ يُمَنِّيني وَبِتُّ أُعاتِبُهُ

My bedfellow drew near to me, and I rejoiced in his closeness.

is a bedfellow who drew near me; I rejoiced in his nearness.

He spent the night holding out promises to me, while I spent it reproaching him.

So he spent the night raising my hopes, while I spent it reproaching him.

وَأُخبِرُهُ في السِرِّ بَيني وَبَينَهُ

وَأُخبِرُهُ في السِرِّ بَيني وَبَينَهُ

بِأَن لَيسَ شيءٌ عِندَ نَفسي يُقارِبُه

بِأَن لَيسَ شيءٌ عِندَ نَفسي يُقارِبُه

And secretly I tell him, between him and me,

And I tell him in secret, between me and him,

that, in my own judgment, nothing compares with him.

that nothing, to me, compares with him.