ياO عَاذِليmy reproacher أَيْنwhere سمعيmy hearing منكfrom you والعذلُand reproach
يا عَاذِلي أَيْن سمعي منك والعذلُ
أَسْلُوهshall I forget him? كلاcertainly not وطرفٍby an eye زانَهadorned it الكَحَلُnatural darkness of the eyelid-rims
أَسْلُوه كلا وطرفٍ زانَه الكَحَلُ
O my reproacher, what ear have I for you and your reproach?
Shall I forget him? Never, by an eye adorned with naturally dark rims!
إِنْif هِمْتُI went mad وجْداًwith longing فماthen ... not قلبيmy heart بأَوَّلthe first مَنone whom
إِنْ هِمْتُ وجْداً فما قلبي بأَوَّل مَن
أَوْرتkindled fire بهin it الوَجناتُthe cheeks الحُمرُred والمُقلand the eyes
أَوْرت به الوَجناتُ الحُمرُ والمُقل
If I am mad with longing, my heart is not the first
That rosy cheeks and eyes have set aflame.
حَدِّثtell بذكرwith mention of صَباباتيmy ardent longings ولاand no عجبٌwonder
حَدِّث بذكر صَباباتي ولا عجبٌ
أَنَاI الَّذيthe one who بغراميfor my passion يُضرَبُis cited المثَلthe proverbial example
أَنَا الَّذي بغرامي يُضرَبُ المثَل
Tell of my ardent longings—and no wonder:
I am the one whose passion is proverbial.
يمشيhe walks فَتَفْعلand so ... does فيto العشَّاقِthe lovers قَامتُهhis figure
يمشي فَتَفْعل في العشَّاقِ قَامتُه
ماwhat ليسnot تفْعلُهdo it العسَّالَةُthe quivering spears الذُّبُلthe slender ones
ما ليس تفْعلُه العسَّالَةُ الذُّبُل
He walks, and his figure does to lovers
What slender, quivering spears cannot do.
أَزْرَىoutshone علىover الظَّبيthe gazelle طَرْفاًin glance وهْوَwhile he مُلتفتٌwas turning
أَزْرَى على الظَّبي طَرْفاً وهْوَ مُلتفتٌ
وأَخْجَلand put to shame الغصْنthe bough قداًin stature وهوwhile he معتدلstood erect
وأَخْجَل الغصْن قداً وهو معتدل
He outshone the gazelle in his glance as he turned,
And shamed the bough in stature as he stood erect.
يدنوhe draws near فيوسِعُand so he widens ليfor me سُمthe eye الخياطِof the needle كماjust as
يدنو فيوسِعُ لي سُم الخياطِ كما
يضيقcloses in بيon me حينwhen ينأَىhe goes far away السَّهلthe plain والجبلُand the mountain
يضيق بي حين ينأَى السَّهل والجبلُ
He draws near and widens the needle's eye for me, just as
Plain and mountain close in on me when he goes far away.