أَما لو كان لحظُك نصلَ غِمْدي

أَما لو كان لحظُك نصلَ غِمْدي

لَبِتُّ وثأْرُ صَرْفِ الدهر عندي

لَبِتُّ وثأْرُ صَرْفِ الدهر عندي

Ah, if your glance were the blade of my scabbard,

If your glance were my sword's sheath

I would pass the night with vengeance for time's reversals in my grasp.

I would seek revenge on the vicissitudes of fate

ولو كان ابتسامُك حدَّ عزمي

ولو كان ابتسامُك حدَّ عزمي

فللتُ نوائبَ الأَيّام وحدي

فللتُ نوائبَ الأَيّام وحدي

And if your smile were the edge of my resolve,

If your smile directed my determination

I would blunt the days' calamities alone.

I would withstand the days' misfortunes alone

إِذاً لَلَقيتُ عادِيةَ اللّيالي

إِذاً لَلَقيتُ عادِيةَ اللّيالي

على ثقةٍ وجُنْدُ هواك جُنْدي

على ثقةٍ وجُنْدُ هواك جُنْدي

Then I would face the onslaught of the nights

Then I would meet the nights' aggression

With confidence, and with the army of love for you as my own.

With confidence, and your love's army is my army

ولكن أَنت والأَيّامُ جَيْشٌ

ولكن أَنت والأَيّامُ جَيْشٌ

على مُتخاذِل الأَنصار فَرْد

على مُتخاذِل الأَنصار فَرْد

But you and the days are an army

But you and the days are an army

Against a lone man whose allies fail him.

Against the reneging allies, I stand alone

عَذيري مِنْ هوَى ونوَى رمى بي

عَذيري مِنْ هوَى ونوَى رمى بي

عِنادُهما على وَجْدٍ ووَخْدِ

عِنادُهما على وَجْدٍ ووَخْدِ

Who will defend me against love and separation, which have cast me

My excuse for passion and vowing has cast me

Through their obstinacy into anguished longing and hurried travel,

Their obstinacy upon rapture and affection

وأَغْيَدَ بات مُتّشِحاً بثغرٍ

وأَغْيَدَ بات مُتّشِحاً بثغرٍ

على نَحْرٍ ومُبْتَسِماً بِعقْد

على نَحْرٍ ومُبْتَسِماً بِعقْد

And against a lithe youth who spent the night wearing a smile

He spent the night wrapped in a cheeky grin

Upon his breast, and smiling with a necklace?

On a throat, smiling with a necklace

أَصُدُّ عَذولَه ويصُدُّ عني

أَصُدُّ عَذولَه ويصُدُّ عني

فما أَنفكُّ من غَمَراتِ صَدّ

فما أَنفكُّ من غَمَراتِ صَدّ

I fend off his reproacher, while he turns away from me;

I block his cowardice and he blocks me

So I never escape rejection's engulfing depths.

So I do not cease from overwhelming sorrows

وأَشكو ما لقيتُ إِلى سَقامٍ

وأَشكو ما لقيتُ إِلى سَقامٍ

بِعَيْنيْه فلا يُعدي ويُعدي

بِعَيْنيْه فلا يُعدي ويُعدي

And I complain of what I have suffered to the sickness

And I complain of what I have endured to one

In his eyes: it gives no aid, yet infects me.

Whose eyes do not help or reciprocate

متى أَرجو مُسالَمة اللّيالي

متى أَرجو مُسالَمة اللّيالي

وهذا مَوْقِفي من أَهل ودّي

وهذا مَوْقِفي من أَهل ودّي

When can I hope for peace with the nights,

When will I hope for truce with the nights

While this is my plight with those I love?

Such is my stance with those dear to me

ولو أَني أُلاقي ما أُلاقي

ولو أَني أُلاقي ما أُلاقي

بمَجْد الدين صُلْتُ بأَيِّ مَجْدِ

بمَجْد الدين صُلْتُ بأَيِّ مَجْدِ

And if I faced what I face

And if I meet what I meet

With Majd al-Din, with what glory I would charge!

With Almighty God, I attain any glory