متى عُجتَ يا صاح بالسَّيِّدَهُ

متى عُجتَ يا صاح بالسَّيِّدَهُ

فَسَلْ عن فؤاديَ في الأَفئِدهْ

فَسَلْ عن فؤاديَ في الأَفئِدهْ

Whenever you stop off, friend, at al-Sayyida,

When you got tired, O hunter, of the mistress

then ask after my heart among the hearts.

Then ask about my heart among the hearts

وقلبك حذّره عن أَن يصاد

وقلبك حذّره عن أَن يصاد

فإِنّ بها للهوى مَصْيَدَهْ

فإِنّ بها للهوى مَصْيَدَهْ

And warn your heart against being caught,

And warn your heart not to be hunted

for love has a snare there.

For with her, love has its hunting ground

وجوهٌ تُباهي قناديلَها

وجوهٌ تُباهي قناديلَها

ببهجةِ نيرانها الموقدَهْ

ببهجةِ نيرانها الموقدَهْ

Faces vie with its lamps

Faces boast with their lamps

in the splendor of their kindled flames.

With the delight of their kindled fires

ترى كلَّ مُستضعَفٍ خصرُه

ترى كلَّ مُستضعَفٍ خصرُه

إِذا ما دعا طرفَه أَنجَدَهْ

إِذا ما دعا طرفَه أَنجَدَهْ

You see each one whose waist is deemed frail:

You see every weak-waisted one

whenever he summons his glance, it comes to his aid.

When her glance calls him, he is supported

وذات روادِف عند القيا

وذات روادِف عند القيا

م تحسَبها أَنها مُقْعَدَه

م تحسَبها أَنها مُقْعَدَه

And a woman with full buttocks—when she stands,

And she of a flowing figure when veiled

you would think her unable to rise.

You would think her seated

وبدر من الشَّعْر في غاسق

وبدر من الشَّعْر في غاسق

يضاحك أَبيضهُ أَسودهْ

يضاحك أَبيضهُ أَسودهْ

And a full moon in the darkness of hair:

And a full moon of hair in the darkness

its whiteness smiles at its blackness.

Her whiteness smiles at its blackness

فيا ليَ من ذلك الزَّبْرِقا

فيا ليَ من ذلك الزَّبْرِقا

ن إِذا زَرْفَنَ الليلَ أَو جعَّدَهْ

ن إِذا زَرْفَنَ الليلَ أَو جعَّدَهْ

Ah me, that full moon,

So oh my, that barge

when he coils the night into ringlets or curls it!

When the night flows or wrinkles

محلّ خَيالٍ إِذا ما رأ

محلّ خَيالٍ إِذا ما رأ

يت أَمردَه قلت ما أَمردَهْ

يت أَمردَه قلت ما أَمردَهْ

A haunt of fancy: whenever you see

The place of an imagination, if I saw its pillars

its beardless youth, you say, 'How unruly he is!'

I would say, what firm pillars

به كل نَشوانةٍ لحظُها

به كل نَشوانةٍ لحظُها

يطرق بين يَديْ عربَدَهْ

يطرق بين يَديْ عربَدَهْ

There, every tipsy woman's glance

With it every coquettish glance

droops before a drunken outburst.

Knocks between the hands of its guard

صوارمُ قاطعةٌ في الجفو

صوارمُ قاطعةٌ في الجفو

ن فهي مُجرّدةٌ مُغمدَهْ

ن فهي مُجرّدةٌ مُغمدَهْ

Keen, cutting swords within the eyelids:

Swords cutting through necks

so they are drawn, yet sheathed.

Bare and sheathed they are

فها أَنا مَن في سبيل الغرا

فها أَنا مَن في سبيل الغرا

م أَورده الحبُّ ما أَوردَهْ

م أَورده الحبُّ ما أَوردَهْ

So here I am, one whom, on passion's path,

So here I am, whom love

love has led where it has led him.

Led into the path of passion and led

فهل لِدَمٍ فات من طالبٍ

فهل لِدَمٍ فات من طالبٍ

وهيهات أَعجز يومٌ غَدَهْ

وهيهات أَعجز يومٌ غَدَهْ

So is there any avenger for blood already lost?

Is there any use of shed blood

But vain the hope! A day has left its morrow helpless.

Of one who sought in vain? Never

وكيف يُجازى بقتل النفو

وكيف يُجازى بقتل النفو

س من لم يمدّ إِليها يَدَهْ

س من لم يمدّ إِليها يَدَهْ

And how can one be punished for killing souls

How can one who did not extend his hand to her

when he has never stretched his hand toward them?

Be rewarded with the killing of souls?