قبلته مذ زاد وجد غرامي

قبلته مذ زاد وجد غرامي

في حبه لما عدمت منامي

في حبه لما عدمت منامي

I kissed him when my love's longing grew,

Since I fell in love when I kissed him

In love with him, when I had lost my sleep.

My sleep was lost in longing for his love

وضممت بان قوامه وشممته

وضممت بان قوامه وشممته

فاخضرا آس عذاره النمام

فاخضرا آس عذاره النمام

And I embraced the bān tree of his figure and breathed his scent;

I embraced his slender waist and inhaled his fragrance

Then the telltale myrtle of his cheek-down grew green.

So the bracelets on his wrists turned green

واحمر ورد خدوده من لوعة

واحمر ورد خدوده من لوعة

ورميت من ألحاظه بسهام

ورميت من ألحاظه بسهام

And the roses of his cheeks reddened with anguish,

And the roses on his cheeks turned red from anguish

And I was struck by arrows from his glances.

I was struck by the arrows of his glances

وغدا النقاب مهتكّا من نفرة

وغدا النقاب مهتكّا من نفرة

وتمايلت أعطاف حسن قوام

وتمايلت أعطاف حسن قوام

And the veil was torn by a sudden recoil,

His veil slipped off in shyness

And the curves of a lovely figure swayed.

And the curves of his beauty swayed

وازداد تيها معجبا بجماله

وازداد تيها معجبا بجماله

حتى تملك رقتي وذمامي

حتى تملك رقتي وذمامي

And he grew prouder, admiring his own beauty,

My wonder at his beauty increased

Until he possessed my tenderness and my pledged loyalty.

Until my longing and my reins overcame me

وأتى يعاتبني بحسن فكاهة

وأتى يعاتبني بحسن فكاهة

وأشار نحوي عاطفا لملامي

وأشار نحوي عاطفا لملامي

And he came to reproach me with charming wit,

He reproached me with his beautiful smile

And gestured toward me, turning to reproach me.

And gestured towards me, blaming my passion

ورأيت ذاك العتب أطيب نفحة

ورأيت ذاك العتب أطيب نفحة

تهدى بنشر من ربيع خزام

تهدى بنشر من ربيع خزام

And I found that reproach the sweetest waft of scent,

I found that reproach a sweet scent

Offered with the fragrance of lavender in spring.

Sent by the blossoms of spring

عجبي لرقة خصره وعجبت من

عجبي لرقة خصره وعجبت من

قاسي قساوة قلبه الصمصام

قاسي قساوة قلبه الصمصام

I marvel at his waist's delicacy, and I marveled at

I wondered at the slenderness of his waist and was amazed

The cruel hardness of his heart, a keen-edged sword.

By the hardness of his aloof heart

عهدي به والإنس يعطف قده

عهدي به والإنس يعطف قده

فاهتز عجبا مانعا لمرامي

فاهتز عجبا مانعا لمرامي

I remember him, companionship bending his figure;

I had hoped his nature was gentle

Then he swayed in conceit, thwarting my desire.

So I shook with wonder, prevented from my desire

ناديته يا ظبي رفقا بالهوى

ناديته يا ظبي رفقا بالهوى

وارحم وكن متعطفا بهيامي

وارحم وكن متعطفا بهيامي

I called to him: O gazelle, be gentle with love;

I called "O gazelle, be gentle with love

And have mercy, and be tender toward my lovesick passion.

And take pity and be kind to my passions"

سموك ظبيا مذ راوك منافرا

سموك ظبيا مذ راوك منافرا

متلفتا كتلفت الأرام

متلفتا كتلفت الأرام

They called you a gazelle when they saw you shying away,

I called you a gazelle when I saw you shy away

Looking back as white gazelles look back.

Turning like a wild animal

فاعطف ولا تنفر فإني مغرم

فاعطف ولا تنفر فإني مغرم

وحليف وجد بالمحبة سامي

وحليف وجد بالمحبة سامي

So be kind, and do not shy away, for I am smitten,

So turn back, do not shy away, for I am lovesick

And an ally of longing, exalted through love.

And a loyal lover captured by devotion

فجمال وجهك قد تملك مهجتي

فجمال وجهك قد تملك مهجتي

ونحيل خصرك قاتلي بسقامي

ونحيل خصرك قاتلي بسقامي

For the beauty of your face has possessed my soul,

For your beautiful face has captured my soul

And your slender waist kills me through my lovesickness.

And your slender waist is killing me

ما كان ذنبي بالمحبة غير ان

ما كان ذنبي بالمحبة غير ان

قبلته مذ زاد وجد غرامي

قبلته مذ زاد وجد غرامي

My only fault in love was that

My only crime in love was that

I kissed him when my love's longing grew.

I fell in love when I kissed him