وعندي شوقٌ دائم وصبابةٌ

وعندي شوقٌ دائم وصبابةٌ

ومَن أنا ذا حتى أقولَ له عندي

ومَن أنا ذا حتى أقولَ له عندي

I have enduring longing and ardent love—

I have an everlasting longing and youthfulness

and who am I to say to him, “I have”?—

And who am I to say to him I have

إلى رجل لو أنّ بعضَ ذكائهِ

إلى رجل لو أنّ بعضَ ذكائهِ

على كلّ مولودٍ تكلمَ في المهدِ

على كلّ مولودٍ تكلمَ في المهدِ

for a man who, if some of his brilliance

To a man, if but some of his intelligence

were bestowed on every newborn, each would speak in the cradle.

Was bestowed on every newborn in the cradle

ولولا نَداه خِفتُ نارَ ذكائهِ

ولولا نَداه خِفتُ نارَ ذكائهِ

عليه ولكنَ النّدى مانعُ الوقدِ

عليه ولكنَ النّدى مانعُ الوقدِ

And were it not for his generosity, I would fear the fire of his brilliance

And were it not for his dew I would fear the fire of his intelligence

for him; but the dew of generosity prevents burning.

Upon him, but the dew prevents the kindling