يُعاهِدُني لا خانَني ثُمَّ يَنكُثُ

يُعاهِدُني لا خانَني ثُمَّ يَنكُثُ

وَأَحلِفُ لا كَلَّمتُهُ ثُمَّ أَحنَثُ

وَأَحلِفُ لا كَلَّمتُهُ ثُمَّ أَحنَثُ

He vows to me he will not betray me, then breaks his pledge.

He swears he'll not betray me, then perjures himself

And I swear I will not speak to him, then break my oath.

While I vow not to talk to him, then break my oath

وَذَلِكَ دَأبي لا يَزالُ وَدَأبُهُ

وَذَلِكَ دَأبي لا يَزالُ وَدَأبُهُ

فَيا مَعشَرَ الناسِ اِسمَعوا وَتَحَدَّثوا

فَيا مَعشَرَ الناسِ اِسمَعوا وَتَحَدَّثوا

And this is ever my habit, and his as well.

And that is my wont, and his wont does not change

So, people, listen and speak of it.

So listen, O people, and converse

أَقولُ لَهُ صِلني يَقولُ نَعَم غَداً

أَقولُ لَهُ صِلني يَقولُ نَعَم غَداً

وَيَكسِرُ جَفناً هازِئاً بي وَيَعبَثُ

وَيَكسِرُ جَفناً هازِئاً بي وَيَعبَثُ

I say to him, “Be with me”; he says, “Yes, tomorrow.”

I say to him, “Visit me,” he says “Yes, tomorrow”

And he winks, mocking me, and toys with me.

Then winks mockingly at me and plays

وَما ضَرَّ بَعضَ الناسِ لَو كانَ زارَنا

وَما ضَرَّ بَعضَ الناسِ لَو كانَ زارَنا

وَكُنّا خَلَونا ساعَةً نَتَحَدَّثُ

وَكُنّا خَلَونا ساعَةً نَتَحَدَّثُ

And what harm would it have done a certain someone if he had visited us,

It wouldn’t hurt some people to visit us

And we had spent an hour alone together, talking?

And we could talk privately for an hour

أَمَولايَ إِنّي في هَواكَ مُعَذَّبٌ

أَمَولايَ إِنّي في هَواكَ مُعَذَّبٌ

وَحَتّامَ أَبقى في العَذابِ وَأَمكُثُ

وَحَتّامَ أَبقى في العَذابِ وَأَمكُثُ

O my lord, I am tormented by love for you.

My beloved, I’m tormented by passion for you

And how long must I remain in torment and linger?

And however long I stay tortured, I’ll endure

فَخُذ مَرَّةً روحي تُرِحني وَلَم أَكُن

فَخُذ مَرَّةً روحي تُرِحني وَلَم أَكُن

أَموتُ مِراراً في النَهارِ وَأُبعَثُ

أَموتُ مِراراً في النَهارِ وَأُبعَثُ

So take my soul once and give me rest, and I would no longer

So take my soul once to give me relief; I wasn’t

Die time and again by day and be raised to life.

Dying repeatedly in daytime, to resurrect

وَإِنّي لِهَذا الضَيمِ مِنكَ لَحامِلٌ

وَإِنّي لِهَذا الضَيمِ مِنكَ لَحامِلٌ

وَمُنتَظِرٌ لُطفاً مِنَ اللَهِ يَحدُثُ

وَمُنتَظِرٌ لُطفاً مِنَ اللَهِ يَحدُثُ

And indeed I bear this injustice from you,

For this injustice from you, I’m longsuffering

And await some kindness from God to come.

And hoping kindness from God will transpire

أُعيذُكَ مِن هَذا الجَفاءِ الَّذي بَدا

أُعيذُكَ مِن هَذا الجَفاءِ الَّذي بَدا

خَلائِقُكَ الحُسنى أَرَقُّ وَأَدمَثُ

خَلائِقُكَ الحُسنى أَرَقُّ وَأَدمَثُ

I seek protection for you from this coldness that has appeared;

I seek refuge for you from this coldness that emerged

Your fine qualities are gentler and more gracious.

Though your fair nature is gentler and warmer

تَرَدَّدَ ظَنُّ الناسِ فينا وَأَكثَروا

تَرَدَّدَ ظَنُّ الناسِ فينا وَأَكثَروا

أَقاويلَ مِنها ما يَطيبُ وَيَخبُثُ

أَقاويلَ مِنها ما يَطيبُ وَيَخبُثُ

People's guesses about us have wavered, and they have multiplied

People’s suspicions about us grew and they spread

Tales, some pleasant and some foul.

Talk, some good and some rotten

وَقَد كَرُمَت في الحُبِّ مِنّي شَمائِلي

وَقَد كَرُمَت في الحُبِّ مِنّي شَمائِلي

وَيَسأَلُ عَنّي مَن أَرادَ وَيَبحَثُ

وَيَسأَلُ عَنّي مَن أَرادَ وَيَبحَثُ

And my character in love has indeed proved noble;

Yet in love, my qualities have honored me

And whoever wishes may ask about me and investigate.

Whoever wants to ask about me can investigate