كَمْhow often قُلْتُI said مُغالِطاًdissembling لِكَيْso that أَسأَلَهُI might ask him
كَمْ قُلْتُ مُغالِطاً لِكَيْ أَسأَلَهُ
بِاللَّهby God دَمُblood المُحبِّthe lover مَنْwho حَلَّلَهُmade it lawful
بِاللَّه دَمُ المُحبِّ مَنْ حَلَّلَهُ
How often I have spoken, dissembling, so that I might ask him:
How often I deceive myself to ask of him,
By God, who has made the lover’s blood lawful to shed?
By God, who made licit the blood of the lover?
قَتْليkilling me لَكَfor you بِالصُّدودِby shunning مَنْwho سَبَّلهُpermitted it
قَتْلي لَكَ بِالصُّدودِ مَنْ سَبَّلهُ
مَنْwhoever يَعذِلنيreproaches me عَلَيْكَover you فالسَّبُّso reviling لَهُfor him
مَنْ يَعذِلني عَلَيْكَ فالسَّبُّ لَهُ
Who has permitted you to kill me by shunning me?
My death by aloofness, who shall absolve it?
Whoever reproaches me over you—let him be reviled.
He who reproaches me for love of you, blame to him!