اسمُ الذي صيّرني مدنفا

اسمُ الذي صيّرني مدنفا

لمّا انتضى من جفنه مرهَفا

لمّا انتضى من جفنه مرهَفا

The name of the one who made me lovesick,

The name that made me afflicted

when he drew a keen blade from his eyelid:

When he awoke with eyes tearful

يلعب إن رُخِّمَ معكوسه

يلعب إن رُخِّمَ معكوسه

لأنه قد نسَّق الأحرفا

لأنه قد نسَّق الأحرفا

'He plays,' if shortened, is its reverse,

Plays if his letters are reversed

for it has set the letters in order.

For he arranged the letters skillfully

ألم تَر كيف غدا ثُلثُه

ألم تَر كيف غدا ثُلثُه

جذرا لثلثيه إذ ألِّفا

جذرا لثلثيه إذ ألِّفا

Have you not seen how one third of it became

Don't you see how its third

the square root of its other two thirds when combined?

Became the root of its other two thirds when joined

قد غلب القلب على صبره

قد غلب القلب على صبره

هكذا يخرج إن صُحِّفا

هكذا يخرج إن صُحِّفا

He has robbed the heart of its patience—

The heart has overcome its patience

thus it reads if its dots are changed.

Thus it comes out if letters are misplaced