لَوif اِستَحىfelt shame البَدرthe full moon اِحتَجَبhid itself
لَو اِستَحى البَدر اِحتَجَب
لَماwhen بَداappeared روحيmy soul رَجَبRajab
لَما بَدا روحي رَجَب
Had the full moon felt shame, it would have hidden
If the full moon were shy and hid away
when Rajab, my soul, appeared.
My spirit in Rajab would not display
إِنif كانَhas (auxiliary) مِنin وَجهa respect حَكاresembled
إِن كانَ مِن وَجه حَكا
هُhim فَقُلthen say لَهُto it أَينَwhere الشَنَبthe mouth’s sweet coolness
هُ فَقُل لَهُ أَينَ الشَنَب
If in some respect it has resembled
If he complains of my cheek, just say
him, then ask it: where is his mouth’s sweet coolness?
Where is that downy hair, now turned to gray?
أَينَwhere الثَناياthe front teeth المُودعاthat lodge (continued)
أَينَ الثَنايا المُودعا
تfeminine plural ending, completing “that lodge” قُلوبِناour hearts حَرقscorching heat اللَهبof the flame
ت قُلوبِنا حَرق اللَهب
Where are the front teeth that lodge
Where are those glances lodged within our hearts?
flame’s scorching heat in our hearts?
Consumed by flames of love set them ablaze
أَينَwhere اللَواحظthe glances وَالخُدوand the cheeks (continued)
أَينَ اللَواحظ وَالخُدو
دcompletion of “cheeks” وَذَلِكَand that القَدthe figure العَجَبwondrous
د وَذَلِكَ القَد العَجَب
Where are the glances and the cheeks,
Where is that slender waist and gorgeous mien
and that wondrous figure?
That wondrous height no equal to be seen
ماnot فيamong الأَعاجمthe non-Arabs مِثلَهُhis like
ما في الأَعاجم مِثلَهُ
يُلفىis found وَلاnor بَينَamong العَرَبthe Arabs
يُلفى وَلا بَينَ العَرَب
None like him among non-Arabs
Amongst the non-Arabs nor the Arabic tribes
is found, nor among the Arabs.
He stole our minds and captured hearts besides
رَشأa gazelle fawn سَباtook captive مِناfrom us العُقوthe minds (continued)
رَشأ سَبا مِنا العُقو
لcompletion of “minds” وَلِلقُلوبand as for the hearts لَقَدindeed سَلَبhe stole
ل وَلِلقُلوب لَقَد سَلَب
A gazelle fawn has taken our minds captive,
Spilled blood though he knows not why
and hearts he has indeed stolen.
To the impassioned, wildly he makes his cry
سَفكhe shed الدِماءblood وَإِنand if تَسَلyou ask
سَفك الدِماء وَإِن تَسَل
مِنهُof him فَلاthen not يَدريhe knows السَبَبthe reason
مِنهُ فَلا يَدري السَبَب
He has shed blood; and if you ask
Your needs I ever strive to satisfy
him, he does not know the reason.
With verse or song, as you desire and I
أَضحىhas come to يَقولsay دَلالَهُhis coquetry
أَضحى يَقول دَلالَهُ
لِلمُستَهامto the love-stricken one بِلاwithout رَهبfear
لِلمُستَهام بِلا رَهب
His coquetry now says
If you would hunt me down in love's terrain
to the love-stricken, without fear:
Lay traps of gold, though I disdain
لاnot تَنقضيis fulfilled لَكَfor you حاجةa request
لا تَنقضي لَكَ حاجة
عِنديwith me بِشعرthrough poetry أَوor طَرَبmusical delight
عِندي بِشعر أَو طَرَب
No request of yours will be granted
Bow down, submit, no lineage declare
by me in return for poetry or song.
There, that is enough, no noble air
إِنif رُمتyou seek صَيديcatching me فيin الهَوىlove
إِن رُمت صَيدي في الهَوى
فَاِنصبthen set شِراكاًsnares مِنof ذَهَبgold
فَاِنصب شِراكاً مِن ذَهَب
If you seek to catch me in love,
then set snares of gold.
وَاِخضَعand submit وَذلand abase yourself وَلاand do not تَقُلsay
وَاِخضَع وَذل وَلا تَقُل
حَسَبٌnoble standing هُناكَthere وَلاnor نَسَبlineage
حَسَبٌ هُناكَ وَلا نَسَب
And submit, abase yourself, and do not speak
of noble standing there, nor of lineage.
Partial English translation: 18 of 22 Arabic lines translated.