ليس الشجيُّ لعاذلٍ بمطيعِ

ليس الشجيُّ لعاذلٍ بمطيعِ

هَجرُ الشجيِّ العذلَ غيرُ فظيعِ

هَجرُ الشجيِّ العذلَ غيرُ فظيعِ

The lovesick man is not obedient to a reproacher.

Reproach is no remedy for the lover wronged

There is nothing shocking in the lovesick man's shunning reproach.

Reproach does not relieve the pain of one forsaken

يا من يُضيعُ ملامةً في عاشقٍ

يا من يُضيعُ ملامةً في عاشقٍ

مذ كان لم يكُ للهوى بِمُضيع

مذ كان لم يكُ للهوى بِمُضيع

O you who waste reproach upon a lover

O you who waste reproach on a lover

Who, since he came to be, has never neglected love,

Since he was never disloyal to passion

لا تلحُ من خلعَ العذارَ بجعفرٍ

لا تلحُ من خلعَ العذارَ بجعفرٍ

إن الخليعَ به لغيرَ خليع

إن الخليعَ به لغيرَ خليع

Do not reproach one who has cast off his bridle for Ja‘far;

Do not blame one who sheds the cloak of chastity for Jafar

Indeed, one unbridled for his sake is surely no libertine.

The dissolute with him is anything but dissolute

رشأٌ غضيضُ الطرف كُوِّنَ وَجهُهُ

رشأٌ غضيضُ الطرف كُوِّنَ وَجهُهُ

من جوهرٍ حَسَنِ الكيان بديع

من جوهرٍ حَسَنِ الكيان بديع

A gazelle fawn with downcast eyes, whose face was fashioned

A supple shoot, the glance of his eye artfully formed

From a wondrous substance, beautiful in form.

From the essence of the graceful figure's beauty

وكأنما كلُّ الزمانِ لما نرى

وكأنما كلُّ الزمانِ لما نرى

من وردِ وجنتِهِ زمانُ ربيع

من وردِ وجنتِهِ زمانُ ربيع

And it is as though all time, because of what we see

As if all time for what we see

Of roses on his cheek, were springtime.

Of roses and gardens is the spring season

لو بالخضوعِ يُذادُ عَذلُ مُتَيَّمٍ

لو بالخضوعِ يُذادُ عَذلُ مُتَيَّمٍ

أَبْدَيْتُ للعُذَّال ثَوبَ خضوع

أَبْدَيْتُ للعُذَّال ثَوبَ خضوع

If submission could avert reproach against one enslaved by love,

If with humility the blame of the lovelorn were averted

I would show the reproachers a robe of submission.

I would show the blamer the garment of humility

بل لو ملكتُ عنانَ قلبيَ في الهوى

بل لو ملكتُ عنانَ قلبيَ في الهوى

مَلَّكْتُ أَجفاني عنانَ دموعي

مَلَّكْتُ أَجفاني عنانَ دموعي

Rather, if I held the reins of my heart in love,

Rather if I controlled the reins of my heart in passion

I would give my eyelids the reins of my tears.

I would give my eyelids the reins of my tears

وإذا سترت جوى الغرام أَذاعه

وإذا سترت جوى الغرام أَذاعه

نَفَسٌ يقومُ له اعوجاجُ ضلوعي

نَفَسٌ يقومُ له اعوجاجُ ضلوعي

And when I conceal love's burning anguish, it is revealed

And if the ardour of love lays bare what I have concealed

By a sigh that straightens the curve of my ribs.

A sigh betrays the crookedness of my ribs