أَماناً فإِنِّي مِنْ عِتَابِكَ خائِفُ

أَماناً فإِنِّي مِنْ عِتَابِكَ خائِفُ

وعفواً فإِنِّي بالجنايةِ عَارِفُ

وعفواً فإِنِّي بالجنايةِ عَارِفُ

Grant me safety, for I fear your reproach,

I implore your mercy, for I fear your reproach,

and pardon, for I am aware of the offense.

And beg your pardon, for I confess my sin.

على أَنَّ لي عذراً فإِن كُنْتَ مُنْصِفاً

على أَنَّ لي عذراً فإِن كُنْتَ مُنْصِفاً

فكن قابلاً أَوْ لاَ فإِنك حَائفُ

فكن قابلاً أَوْ لاَ فإِنك حَائفُ

Yet I have an excuse; if you are fair,

Though I have some excuse, if you would hear me,

accept it—otherwise you are unjust.

Be forgiving or not, for I am apprehensive.

وما كَانَ شغْلي عنك إِلاَّ لأَنَّني

وما كَانَ شغْلي عنك إِلاَّ لأَنَّني

بفكرِي على تحْبِيرِ شكرِك عَاكِفُ

بفكرِي على تحْبِيرِ شكرِك عَاكِفُ

And I was distracted from you only because I

My mind was busy praising you exceedingly,

was absorbed in thought, embellishing my thanks to you.

That kept me from you, and nothing else within.

وإِن كان جِسْمِي عند لُقْياك قاعداً

وإِن كان جِسْمِي عند لُقْياك قاعداً

فإِنَّ فؤادِي قبل لُقْيَاك واقِفُ

فإِنَّ فؤادِي قبل لُقْيَاك واقِفُ

And though my body was seated when I met you,

Though my body sat not with you at our meeting,

my heart was already standing before I met you.

My heart stood before you, present and attending.

وإِن كُنْتَ قد أَخَلَيْتَ منِّي مَواقِفاً

وإِن كُنْتَ قد أَخَلَيْتَ منِّي مَواقِفاً

فلي في مقاماتِ الثناءِ مواقِفُ

فلي في مقاماتِ الثناءِ مواقِفُ

And though you had left some places empty of me,

If meetings with you I have sometimes neglected,

I have my places in the assemblies of praise.

In songs of your glory I have had my settings.

شكرت عتاباً رَقَّ منك وَراقَني

شكرت عتاباً رَقَّ منك وَراقَني

فقُلْت سلافٌ عَتْبهُ وسَوَالِفُ

فقُلْت سلافٌ عَتْبهُ وسَوَالِفُ

I was grateful for a gentle reproach from you that delighted me,

I thanked your gentle rebuke, which gladdened my spirit,

so I said, 'His reproach is choice wine and a neck's contours.'

And said, “How sweet is his censure, how charming his stories!”

وبرَّحْتَ لي لما تَعطَّفْتَ مُعْرِضاً

وبرَّحْتَ لي لما تَعطَّفْتَ مُعْرِضاً

وكم بَرّحت بالعاشِقين المعاطِفُ

وكم بَرّحت بالعاشِقين المعاطِفُ

And you tormented me when you swayed, turning away,

You cheered me when you turned to me gently,

and how often the body's curves have tormented lovers!

As you have cheered lovers with your kind acts.

بحقك إِلاَّ ما مَنَنْتَ بعَطْفَةٍ

بحقك إِلاَّ ما مَنَنْتَ بعَطْفَةٍ

فمثلِي بلا شكٍّ لمثلكِ عَاطِفُ

فمثلِي بلا شكٍّ لمثلكِ عَاطِفُ

By the honor due to you, grant me just one kindly turn,

By your right, I swear, saving your gracious favor,

for one like me surely inclines toward one like you.

That my like is surely your lover and praiser.

وحسبُك فضلاً أَن تُرَى لي عاذراً

وحسبُك فضلاً أَن تُرَى لي عاذراً

وحسبيَ فضلاً أَنَّني لك وَاصِفُ

وحسبيَ فضلاً أَنَّني لك وَاصِفُ

And it is honor enough for you to be seen excusing me,

It suffices me that you excuse me,

and honor enough for me that I describe you.

And suffices you that I am your describer.