سالتني ذات يوم عابره

سالتني ذات يوم عابره

عن غرامي وفتاتي الساحره

عن غرامي وفتاتي الساحره

One day, a passing woman asked me

One day a fleeting passerby asked me

A passing maiden asked me one day about my passion and my enchanting fay,

About my love and my enchanting girl.

About my love and my enchanting beloved

She knew not I was a poet inspired, adoring the charms of the pure and admired,

لم تكن تعلم أني شاعر

لم تكن تعلم أني شاعر

ملهم أهوى فتون الطاهره

ملهم أهوى فتون الطاهره

She did not know that I was a poet,

She didn't know that I was a poet

A lover who desires no chiding refrain, but seeks the eyes that captivate and reign,

Inspired, loving the pure woman's allure;

An inspired one who loves the chaste

And a slender form that seized my gaze, leaving my spirit lost in a daze,

وحبيب لست أهوى عاتبا

وحبيب لست أهوى عاتبا

أنما أهوى العيون الآسره

أنما أهوى العيون الآسره

And a lover—I do not love reproachfully;

And a lover who does not complain reproachfully

With a loyalty I would never deny; does a branch reject its bird in the sky?

I love only eyes that captivate,

Rather I love captivating eyes

She asked while the hills were adorned in light, at sunrise with wishes blossoming bright,

وقواما أهيفا جلفني

وقواما أهيفا جلفني

ساهما خلف روحي سادره

ساهما خلف روحي سادره

And a slender figure that stripped me bare,

And a slender, bending figure that followed

I wish she knew I am standing here; a poet who needs a poetess near,

Lost in thought, behind my wandering soul;

My soul unswervingly

I said, "O sister, do not ask, do not plead; I am the lovestruck, loving a rare breed."

ووفاء لم أكن أنكره

ووفاء لم أكن أنكره

أترى ينكر غصن طائره

أترى ينكر غصن طائره

And a faithfulness I did not deny—

And loyalty that I never denied

Do you think a branch would deny its bird?

Does a bird's branch deny the bird?

سألتني والربى مزدانة

سألتني والربى مزدانة

في شروق والأماني زاهره

في شروق والأماني زاهره

She asked me while the hills were adorned

She asked me while the young woman was adorned

In sunrise, and hopes were blooming.

In the rise of hopes and wishes in bloom

ليتها تدرك أني ها هنا

ليتها تدرك أني ها هنا

شاعر لابد لي من شاعره

شاعر لابد لي من شاعره

If only she understood that here I am

I wish she knew that I'm still here

A poet who must have a poetess.

A poet who definitely needs a poetess

قلت يا أختاه لا لا تسالي

قلت يا أختاه لا لا تسالي

أنا ذاك الصب أهوى نادره

أنا ذاك الصب أهوى نادره

I said: O sister, no—do not ask;

I said, oh sister, no, don't ask

I am that lovesick lover; I love Nadira.

I'm that young man who loves the rare