قالَت وَعَيشِ أَخي وَذِمَةِ والدي

قالَت وَعَيشِ أَخي وَذِمَةِ والدي

لِأُنَبِّهَنَّ الحَيَّ إِن لَم تَخرُجِ

لِأُنَبِّهَنَّ الحَيَّ إِن لَم تَخرُجِ

She said, “By my brother’s life and my father’s honor,

She swore by my brother's life and my father's honor

I shall surely rouse the clan if you do not go out!”

That she would rouse the neighbors if I did not leave

فَخَرَجتُ خَوفَ يَمينِها فَتَبَسَّمَت

فَخَرَجتُ خَوفَ يَمينِها فَتَبَسَّمَت

فَعَلِمتُ أَنَّ يَمينَها لَم تُحرَجِ

فَعَلِمتُ أَنَّ يَمينَها لَم تُحرَجِ

So I went out, fearing her oath, and she smiled.

So I left, fearing her oath, and she smiled

Then I knew her oath was not in earnest.

Thus I knew her oath was not meant in earnest

فَتَناوَلَت رَأسي لِتَعرِفَ مَسَّهُ

فَتَناوَلَت رَأسي لِتَعرِفَ مَسَّهُ

بِمُخَضَّبِ الأَطرافِ غَيرِ مُشَنَّجِ

بِمُخَضَّبِ الأَطرافِ غَيرِ مُشَنَّجِ

Then she took my head to feel its touch,

She lifted my head to see if it was marked

With a henna-tipped, unwrinkled hand.

By the dye of henna, still fresh and unfaded

فَلَثَّمتُ فاها آخِذاً بِقُرونِها

فَلَثَّمتُ فاها آخِذاً بِقُرونِها

شُربَ النَزيفِ بِبَردِ ماءِ الحَشرَجِ

شُربَ النَزيفِ بِبَردِ ماءِ الحَشرَجِ

Then I kissed her mouth, grasping her locks,

Then I kissed her mouth, grasping her horns

As a parched man drinks cool water from among pebbles.

Drinking the bleeding with the chill of hailstone water