تَجَمَّشَهُ بلحظِ الطَّرفِ كَفِّي

تَجَمَّشَهُ بلحظِ الطَّرفِ كَفِّي

فأَخجلَهُ مِنَ النَّظرِ المُريبِ

فأَخجلَهُ مِنَ النَّظرِ المُريبِ

My hand caressed him with a glance of the eye,

With a glance of his eye he admonished my palm,

so it made him blush at the suspicious gaze.

So it was abashed by his strange look.

وقال القلبُ هَبْ لي منه حظّاً

وقال القلبُ هَبْ لي منه حظّاً

فَرَدَّ الطَّرْفُ بالعَجَبِ العَجيبِ

فَرَدَّ الطَّرْفُ بالعَجَبِ العَجيبِ

And the heart said, “Grant me a share of him.”

The heart said: give me some of his fortune,

Then the eye replied in wondrous amazement:

But his eye turned back with amazement.

إِذا كانتْ حياتي طَوعَ أَمري

إِذا كانتْ حياتي طَوعَ أَمري

أُسلِّمُها إلى غيرِ الحَبيبِ

أُسلِّمُها إلى غيرِ الحَبيبِ

“If my life were mine to command,

If my life were subject to my will,

I would surrender it to someone other than the beloved.”

I would deliver it to none but the beloved.

فَكانَ مقالُه أَحلى لروحي

فَكانَ مقالُه أَحلى لروحي

مِنَ الصادي إِلى الماءِ القَريبِ

مِنَ الصادي إِلى الماءِ القَريبِ

So his words were sweeter to my soul

So his words were sweeter to my soul

than nearby water to one parched with thirst.

Than water to the thirsty.

ويا دائي أَتَرجو بعد يأسٍ

ويا دائي أَتَرجو بعد يأسٍ

فَما الشكوى إلى غير المجيبِ

فَما الشكوى إلى غير المجيبِ

And O my affliction, do you hope after despair?

And O my sickness, do you still hope after despair?

What use, then, is complaint to one who does not answer?

For there is no use complaining to one who does not answer.

وما خوفي عَلَى رُوحي وَلَكنْ

وما خوفي عَلَى رُوحي وَلَكنْ

عليهِ منْ معاقبةِ الذنوبِ

عليهِ منْ معاقبةِ الذنوبِ

And my fear is not for my soul, but

It is not fear for my soul that seizes me

for him, lest he be punished for sins.

But fear of the punishment of sins.