أَيا حامِلَ الرُمحِ الشَبيهِ بِقَدِّهِ

أَيا حامِلَ الرُمحِ الشَبيهِ بِقَدِّهِ

وَعَهدي بِهِ غُصناً حَليفَ الهَوى رَطبا

وَعَهدي بِهِ غُصناً حَليفَ الهَوى رَطبا

O bearer of the spear that mirrors your slender form,

O bearer of the spear that resembles his stature,

I remember it as a fresh bough, companion to the breeze.

And I remember him as a supple bough, allied with love,

وَياضامِراً حيفاً لِأَسرى جَمالِهِ

وَياضامِراً حيفاً لِأَسرى جَمالِهِ

وَيالا شاهِراً سَيفاً حَكى لَحظَةَ عَقَبا

وَيالا شاهِراً سَيفاً حَكى لَحظَةَ عَقَبا

O slender one, so cruel to the captives of your beauty,

And O you harboring injustice toward the captives of his beauty,

and ah—you brandish a sword that, in turn, imitates your glance.

And O you brandishing a sword that echoed a glance in turn,

ضَعِ الرُمحَ وَاِغمِد ما سَلَلتَ فَرُبَّما

ضَعِ الرُمحَ وَاِغمِد ما سَلَلتَ فَرُبَّما

قَضى كُلُّ مُضني بِالجَوى وَالهَوى نَحبا

قَضى كُلُّ مُضني بِالجَوى وَالهَوى نَحبا

Lay down the spear; sheathe what you have drawn—for perhaps

Lay down the spear and sheathe what you have drawn, for perhaps

all whom passion and love have wasted have met their doom.

Everyone worn down by heartache and love has met his end.

وَأَنتَ لا دَرى كَم بِتيهِكَ وَحدَهُ

وَأَنتَ لا دَرى كَم بِتيهِكَ وَحدَهُ

قَتَلتَ وَما حاوَلتَ طَعناً وَلا ضَربا

قَتَلتَ وَما حاوَلتَ طَعناً وَلا ضَربا

And you do not know how many, by your proud disdain alone,

And you do not know how many, through your pride alone,

you have slain without once attempting a thrust or blow.

You have killed, without attempting a thrust or a blow.