إِذا جِئتُ قالوا قَد أَتى وَتَهامَسوا

إِذا جِئتُ قالوا قَد أَتى وَتَهامَسوا

كَأَن لَم يَجِد فيما مَضى أَحَدٌ وَجدي

كَأَن لَم يَجِد فيما مَضى أَحَدٌ وَجدي

When I come, they say, “He has come,” and whisper among themselves.

When I come, they say he has arrived and whisper

As though no one in times past had felt my passion.

As though before me none felt passion, none.

فَعُروَةُ سَنَّ الحُبَّ قَبليَ إِذ شَقى

فَعُروَةُ سَنَّ الحُبَّ قَبليَ إِذ شَقى

بِعفَراءَ والنَهديُّ ماتَ عَلى هِندِ

بِعفَراءَ والنَهديُّ ماتَ عَلى هِندِ

For ʿUrwa set the precedent for love before me, when he suffered

Yet ʿUrwa suffered love's agony before me

for ʿAfrāʾ; and al-Nahdī died of love for Hind.

For ʿAfra, and an-Nahdi died for Hind.