أَمِن فتكِ ذاتِ القُلبِ لِلقَلبِ حاجِبُ

أَمِن فتكِ ذاتِ القُلبِ لِلقَلبِ حاجِبُ

وَأَسهُمُها الأَلحاظُ وَالقَوسُ حاجِبُ

وَأَسهُمُها الأَلحاظُ وَالقَوسُ حاجِبُ

Is there a guardian for the heart against the bracelet-wearer's deadly assault?

Is there safety from the slaying glance of she

And her arrows are glances, and the bow an eyebrow.

Whose arrows are her eyes, her bows her eyebrows?

هِلاليّةٌ باتَ الهِلالُ لِتاجِها

هِلاليّةٌ باتَ الهِلالُ لِتاجِها

حَسُوداً وَغارَت مِن حُلاها الكَواكِبُ

حَسُوداً وَغارَت مِن حُلاها الكَواكِبُ

A Hilali beauty—her crown kept the crescent all night

Crescent-like, the crescent moon envied the crown

Envious, while the stars grew jealous of her jewels.

Upon her head, and the stars grew jealous of her beauty.

إِذا شِئتَ شَمساً وَسطَ جُنحٍ فِعِندَما

إِذا شِئتَ شَمساً وَسطَ جُنحٍ فِعِندَما

تَحُفُّ بِذاكَ الخَدِّ تِلكَ الذَوائِبُ

تَحُفُّ بِذاكَ الخَدِّ تِلكَ الذَوائِبُ

If you wish for a sun amid night's gloom, look when

If you seek a sun amid wings, behold

Those tresses frame that cheek.

When those tresses enfold that cheek, the stray locks.

يُسالِمُ قَلبي لَفظُها وَابتِسامُها

يُسالِمُ قَلبي لَفظُها وَابتِسامُها

وَأَجفانُها في كُلّ حينٍ تُحارِبُ

وَأَجفانُها في كُلّ حينٍ تُحارِبُ

Her speech and her smile make peace with my heart,

My heart makes peace with her words and smile

While her eyelids wage war at every moment.

While her lashes ever wage war.

إِذا ما تَجلّى حُسنُها غَلَبَ الحِجا

إِذا ما تَجلّى حُسنُها غَلَبَ الحِجا

وَفُلّت مِن الصَبرِ الجَميلِ كَتائِبُ

وَفُلّت مِن الصَبرِ الجَميلِ كَتائِبُ

When her beauty shines forth, it overwhelms reason,

When her beauty shines forth, yearning prevails,

And the battalions of noble patience are routed.

Washing away seemly patience in streams.

وَلِم لا وِمِن أَعطافِها وَجُفُونِها

وَلِم لا وِمِن أَعطافِها وَجُفُونِها

تُهَزّ العَوالي أَو تُسَلُّ القَواضِبُ

تُهَزّ العَوالي أَو تُسَلُّ القَواضِبُ

And why not, when from her flanks and her eyelids

Why not, when her figure and her eyes

Lances are brandished, or keen swords drawn?

Can haul up the lofty or drag down the swift ships?

مُوَرَّدُ خَدَّيها لِدَمعي مُشابِةٌ

مُوَرَّدُ خَدَّيها لِدَمعي مُشابِةٌ

وَناحِلُ خِصرَيها لِجسمِي مُناسِبُ

وَناحِلُ خِصرَيها لِجسمِي مُناسِبُ

The rose-red hue of her cheeks resembles my tears,

The rose of her cheek is well-suited for my tears;

And her slender waist is a match for my body.

The bees of her waist aptly fit my body.

فَكَم وَصلَةٍ في الحُبِّ بَيني وَبَينَها

فَكَم وَصلَةٍ في الحُبِّ بَيني وَبَينَها

وَلَكِنَّني مَهما تَوَسَّلتُ خائِبُ

وَلَكِنَّني مَهما تَوَسَّلتُ خائِبُ

So many bonds of love lie between me and her,

What bonds of love thus link her to me!

Yet however I plead, I am disappointed.

Yet, however I supplicate, disappointed am I.

فَيا وَيحَ مُشتاقٍ تَذَلّلَ للهَوى

فَيا وَيحَ مُشتاقٍ تَذَلّلَ للهَوى

وَقَد شَمَخت فِي العِزِّ مِنهُ المَراتِبُ

وَقَد شَمَخت فِي العِزِّ مِنهُ المَراتِبُ

Ah, pity the yearning lover who humbled himself before love,

Woe to the ardent lover who humbles himself to passion

Though through him the ranks of honor had risen high.

While the highest ranks disdain him!

تَهابُ الأُسُودُ الغُلبُ حَدَّ سِنانِهِ

تَهابُ الأُسُودُ الغُلبُ حَدَّ سِنانِهِ

وَلَكِنَّهُ لِلشادِنِ الغِرِّ هائِبُ

وَلَكِنَّهُ لِلشادِنِ الغِرِّ هائِبُ

Thick-necked lions fear his spearhead's edge,

Lions fear defeat by another’s fangs,

Yet he fears the innocent gazelle-fawn.

Yet to the brazen hyena they turn coward.

وَيَسبي كُماةَ البَأسِ في حَومَةِ الوَغى

وَيَسبي كُماةَ البَأسِ في حَومَةِ الوَغى

وَتَسبيهِ بِالغُنجِ الحِسانُ الكَواعِبُ

وَتَسبيهِ بِالغُنجِ الحِسانُ الكَواعِبُ

And he takes valiant champions captive in the thick of battle,

On the battle’s heated plain they capture the heroes,

While full-bosomed beauties take him captive with coquetry.

While singers lead away the lovely-eyed gazelles.

رَعى اللَهُ قَلبِي ما أَتَمَّ وَفاءَهُ

رَعى اللَهُ قَلبِي ما أَتَمَّ وَفاءَهُ

إِذا صَدَّ خِلُّ أَو تَغَيَّرَ صاحِبُ

إِذا صَدَّ خِلُّ أَو تَغَيَّرَ صاحِبُ

May God preserve my heart—how complete its loyalty,

God guard my heart in its faithfulness

When a dear friend turns away or a companion changes!

When a boon companion changes or turns cool.

تَفَرَّدَ بِالإِخلاصِ في مِلّةِ الهَوى

تَفَرَّدَ بِالإِخلاصِ في مِلّةِ الهَوى

وَقَد كَثُرَت في العاشِقِين الشَوائِبُ

وَقَد كَثُرَت في العاشِقِين الشَوائِبُ

It stands alone in devotion to the creed of love,

It has uniquely adhered, in love’s creed,

Though impurities have multiplied among lovers.

While so many lovers mix in strange ways.