أَفديهما أَخوين كُلٌ مِنهُما

أَفديهما أَخوين كُلٌ مِنهُما

غرٌ يَظن وَلوع قَلبي فيهِ

غرٌ يَظن وَلوع قَلبي فيهِ

I would ransom them both—two brothers, each of whom

I ransom them both, two brothers, each of whom

Is guileless, thinking my heart enamored of him.

Is ignorant and imagines the agony in my heart is for him

هَذا يُجرعهُ مرارة هَجرِهِ

هَذا يُجرعهُ مرارة هَجرِهِ

طَوراً وَذا عَذب اللَما يَسقيهِ

طَوراً وَذا عَذب اللَما يَسقيهِ

This one makes it swallow the bitterness of his abandonment

This one makes him drink the bitterness of his estrangement

At times, while that one gives it the sweetness of his dark lips to drink.

For a time, while the other gives him the sweetness of union

لَم يَدرِ ما بِي العاذِلون لِأَنَّني

لَم يَدرِ ما بِي العاذِلون لِأَنَّني

أَشكو الأَخ الجافي لعذل أَخيهِ

أَشكو الأَخ الجافي لعذل أَخيهِ

The reproachers have not understood what ails me, for I

They know not what ails me, those who blame me, for

Complain of the unkind brother to prompt his brother's reproach.

I complain of the unkind brother to the kind brother