ظَبيَ الحِمى بِاللَهِ ما ضَرَّكا

ظَبيَ الحِمى بِاللَهِ ما ضَرَّكا

إِذا رَأَينا في الكَرى طَيفَكا

إِذا رَأَينا في الكَرى طَيفَكا

O gazelle of the sanctuary, by God, what harm would it do you

The zebras roam freely, by God what harm could befall them,

if we saw your apparition in sleep?

If we saw your figure wandering in the ruins,

وَما الَّذي تَخشاهُ لَو أَنَّهُم

وَما الَّذي تَخشاهُ لَو أَنَّهُم

قالوا فُلانٌ قَد غَدا عَبدَكا

قالوا فُلانٌ قَد غَدا عَبدَكا

And what is it you fear, if they

And what is it that you fear, if they were to say:

said, “So-and-so has become your slave”?

"So-and-so has become your slave."

قَد حَرَّموا الرِقَّ وَلَكِنَّهُم

قَد حَرَّموا الرِقَّ وَلَكِنَّهُم

ما حَرَّموا رِقَّ الهَوى عِندَكا

ما حَرَّموا رِقَّ الهَوى عِندَكا

They have forbidden slavery, but they

They have forbidden slavery, but they have not forbidden,

have not forbidden love’s bondage to you.

The slavery of passion that holds you in its grasp,

وَأَصبَحَت مِصرُ مُراحاً لَهُم

وَأَصبَحَت مِصرُ مُراحاً لَهُم

وَأَنتَ في الأَحشا مُراحٌ لَكا

وَأَنتَ في الأَحشا مُراحٌ لَكا

And Egypt has become a resting place for them,

And Egypt has become a place of comfort for them,

while you have a resting place within our hearts.

While you are in the thickets, a comfort for yourself,

ما كانَ سَهلاً أَن يَرَوا نيلَها

ما كانَ سَهلاً أَن يَرَوا نيلَها

لَو أَنَّ في أَسيافِنا لَحظَكا

لَو أَنَّ في أَسيافِنا لَحظَكا

It would not have been easy for them to see her Nile

It would not have been easy for them to see its Nile,

if our swords had held your glance.

If in our swords there was a glimpse of you.