سَيِّدي خُذ بِي أَتاناً

سَيِّدي خُذ بِي أَتاناً

عِندَ بابِ الأًصبَهاني

عِندَ بابِ الأًصبَهاني

My lord, take me to a she-ass

My master, bring me a camel

At al-Asbahani’s door.

At the door of Asbahan

تَيَّمَتني بِبَنانٍ

تَيَّمَتني بِبَنانٍ

وَبِدَلٍّ قَد شَجاني

وَبِدَلٍّ قَد شَجاني

She enthralled me with her fingertips

She intoxicated me with her mouth

And with coyness that has pained me.

And with a bucket that pained me

تَيَّمَتني يَومَ رُحنا

تَيَّمَتني يَومَ رُحنا

بِثَناياها الحِسانِ

بِثَناياها الحِسانِ

She enthralled me the day we set out

She intoxicated me the day we left

With her beautiful front teeth,

With her beautiful teeth

وَبِغُنجٍ وَدَلالٍ

وَبِغُنجٍ وَدَلالٍ

سَلَّ جِسمي وَبَراني

سَلَّ جِسمي وَبَراني

And with coquetry and coy charm

And with coquetry and coyness

That wasted my body and wore me down.

That melted my body and healed me

وَلَها خَدٌّ أَسيلٌ

وَلَها خَدٌّ أَسيلٌ

مِثلُ خَدِّ الشَيفَراني

مِثلُ خَدِّ الشَيفَراني

And she has a smooth cheek,

And she has a soft cheek

Like the cheek of al-Shayfarani.

Like the cheek of a blade of grass

فَلِذا مِتُّ وَلَو عِش

فَلِذا مِتُّ وَلَو عِش

تُ إِذاً طالَ هَواني

تُ إِذاً طالَ هَواني

So I died of this; and had I lived,

So for this I die, and if I lived

My humiliation would then have lasted long.

Then my passion would be prolonged