ولم أطرب إلى عذراء رودٍ

ولم أطرب إلى عذراء رودٍ

بها عن وصل عاشقها نفارُ

بها عن وصل عاشقها نفارُ

And I did not yearn for a tender virgin

I was never enchanted by a fair rose-cheeked maid,

Who shuns union with her lover,

Who forsakes her lover's company in disdain,

ولا غرثى الوشاح كأن ورد ال

ولا غرثى الوشاح كأن ورد ال

حياء بوجنتيها الجلنار

حياء بوجنتيها الجلنار

Nor a woman slim beneath her sash, as though the roses of

Nor did I lament the cheek-veil as though it were a rose

Modesty on her cheeks were pomegranate blossoms.

Whose bashfulness is concealed by its petalled garment.

بنفسي كل مهضوم حشاها

بنفسي كل مهضوم حشاها

إذا ظلمت فليس لها انتصارُ

إذا ظلمت فليس لها انتصارُ

My life as ransom for every slender-waisted woman,

I take to myself every downtrodden soul

Who, when wronged, has no means of redress.

Who has suffered injustice and has no defender.

ولكني طربت إلى خليلٍ

ولكني طربت إلى خليلٍ

سمحت ببذله ولي الخيار

سمحت ببذله ولي الخيار

But I yearned for an intimate friend,

But I was enchanted by a bosom friend

Whom I willingly gave away, though the choice was mine.

Who generously offered himself though I had the choice.

فلما أن مضى في حفظ من لا

فلما أن مضى في حفظ من لا

يضيعه وشط به المزارُ

يضيعه وشط به المزارُ

Then, when he left in the care of one who would not

When he passed on into the care of Him who never

Neglect him, and his visiting-place grew distant,

Lets one perish, and sailed to his final rest,

ندمت ندامة الكسعي لما

ندمت ندامة الكسعي لما

غدت منه مطلقةً نوارُ

غدت منه مطلقةً نوارُ

I felt the remorse of al-Kusa‘i when

I regretted with the regret of one who sells his horse

Nawar became divorced from him.

When it has grown old and useless.

فعيني ما تجف لها دموعٌ

فعيني ما تجف لها دموعٌ

وقلبي ما يقر له قرار

وقلبي ما يقر له قرار

So my eye’s tears never run dry,

So my eyes will never dry of tears for him

And my heart finds no rest.

And my heart will know no rest.