ماnot هَكَذاthus ياO مُنىwishes قَلبيmy heart
ما هَكَذا يا مُنى قَلبي
يَجزيrequites أَخوone endowed with الحسنbeauty عشّاقَهhis lovers
يَجزي أَخو الحسن عشّاقَه
Not thus, O my heart’s desire,
Not so, O Mona, does my heart repay
does one endowed with beauty requite his lovers.
the love of the virtuous with like;
نأَيتَyou went afar وَالصبُّwhile the lovelorn one فيin كَربِanguish
نأَيتَ وَالصبُّ في كَربِ
مبلبلُdistraught القلبthe heart مُشتاقُهhis yearning lover
مبلبلُ القلب مُشتاقُه
You have gone afar, while the lovelorn one is in anguish;
You came when passion was at its height,
distraught of heart is his yearning lover.
and my heart's bird was eager and awake;
اِعطفshow kindness فديتُكmay I be your ransom عَلىto الصَبِّthe lovelorn one
اِعطف فديتُك عَلى الصَبِّ
لاmay ... not ذقتَyou tasted فيin الحُبِّlove ماwhat ذاقَهhe tasted it
لا ذقتَ في الحُبِّ ما ذاقَه
Be kind—may I be your ransom—to the lovelorn one;
Take pity on the passion of the love-sick,
may you never taste in love what he has tasted.
who have not tasted what you have tasted of love.