لاموا عَلى صَبيِ الدُموعِ كَأَنَّهُم

لاموا عَلى صَبيِ الدُموعِ كَأَنَّهُم

ظَنّوا المَلامَ وَسيلَةً لِرُجوعي

ظَنّوا المَلامَ وَسيلَةً لِرُجوعي

They reproached me for shedding tears, as though they

They blamed the boy of tears as if they thought

thought reproach a means of making me turn back.

Reproach would make me turn from my pursuit,

وَأَتوا رِياءَ مُقسِمينَ بِأَنَّهُم

وَأَتوا رِياءَ مُقسِمينَ بِأَنَّهُم

لا يَعلَمونَ صَبابَتي وَوُلوعي

لا يَعلَمونَ صَبابَتي وَوُلوعي

And they came hypocritically, swearing that they

And came in feigned remorse, avowing naught

knew nothing of my ardent longing and my passion.

Of my desire, my longing absolute.

فَأَجَبتَهُم وَعدَ الخَيالِ بِزَورِةٍ

فَأَجَبتَهُم وَعدَ الخَيالِ بِزَورِةٍ

كَما زَكَت نارُ الجَوى بِضُلوعي

كَما زَكَت نارُ الجَوى بِضُلوعي

So I answered them: the apparition promised a visit,

I answered them with fantasies, for I

just as the fire of yearning blazed within my ribs.

Felt the heart kindle at my ribs, its fire

وَأَخافُ أَن تَمتَدَّ عِندَ قُدومِهِ

وَأَخافُ أَن تَمتَدَّ عِندَ قُدومِهِ

أَفَلا أَرِشُ طَريقَهُ بِدموعي

أَفَلا أَرِشُ طَريقَهُ بِدموعي

And I fear it will spread when he arrives;

Renewed; and would he find, when we drew nigh,

so should I not sprinkle his path with my tears?

My tears had marked his path through the dark mire?