أَعطيتُهُI gave him ماwhat سأَلاhe asked for
أَعطيتُهُ ما سأَلا
حَكَّمْتُهُI made him arbiter لوْif only عَدَلاhe acted justly
حَكَّمْتُهُ لوْ عَدَلا
I gave him all that he asked;
I gave him what he asked for.
I made him my judge—had he but been just!
I made him arbiter—if only he were just.
وهَبتُهُI gave him روحيmy soul فماso not
وهَبتُهُ روحي فما
أَدريI know بهِwith it ماwhat فَعلاhe did
أَدري بهِ ما فَعلا
I bestowed my soul on him, and yet
I gave him my soul, so I do not
I do not know what he did with it.
know what he has done with it.
أسلَمْتُهُI surrendered it فيinto يدهِhis hand
أسلَمْتُهُ في يدهِ
عَيشَهُhe kept it alive أَمor قَتَلاhe killed
عَيشَهُ أَم قَتَلا
I surrendered it into his hand:
I surrendered it into his hand—
whether he let it live or killed it.
whether he kept it alive or killed it.
قَلبيmy heart بهِwith him فيin شُغُلٍpreoccupation
قَلبي بهِ في شُغُلٍ
لاmay not مَلَّtire of ذاكَthat الشُّغُلاpreoccupation
لا مَلَّ ذاكَ الشُّغُلا
My heart is absorbed in him;
My heart is preoccupied with him;
may it never tire of that preoccupation.
may it never tire of that preoccupation.
قيَّدهُfettered it الحُبُّlove كماjust as
قيَّدهُ الحُبُّ كما
قَيَّدَfettered راعٍa herdsman جَملاa camel
قَيَّدَ راعٍ جَملا
Love has bound it, just as
Love fettered it, just as
a herdsman tethers a camel.
a herdsman fettered a camel.