أَلَم أَقُل لَكَ لا تَخلِس مَحاسِنَهُ

أَلَم أَقُل لَكَ لا تَخلِس مَحاسِنَهُ

فَإِنَّ طَرفَكَ مَوتورٌ مِنَ الخُلَسِ

فَإِنَّ طَرفَكَ مَوتورٌ مِنَ الخُلَسِ

Did I not tell you not to steal glimpses of his charms?

Did I not tell you, do not secretly glance at her charms?

For your gaze is left bereft by stolen glances.

For your glance is pained by the secrecy.

ظَبيٌ رَمَيتُ لَهُ عَينَيَّ خائِلَةً

ظَبيٌ رَمَيتُ لَهُ عَينَيَّ خائِلَةً

وَما عَلِمتُ بِأنَّ اللَّيثَ في الكُنُسِ

وَما عَلِمتُ بِأنَّ اللَّيثَ في الكُنُسِ

A gazelle, I thought, as I cast my eyes toward him,

A gazelle I aimed my languid eyes at,

And I did not know that the lion was in the gazelles’ coverts.

Not knowing the lion lurked in the thicket.

عَلاقَةٌ بِتُّ عَنها غَيرَ مُعتَذِرٍ

عَلاقَةٌ بِتُّ عَنها غَيرَ مُعتَذِرٍ

وَهَفوَة كُنتُ مِنها غَيرَ مُحتَرِسِ

وَهَفوَة كُنتُ مِنها غَيرَ مُحتَرِسِ

An attachment for which I spent the night unapologetic,

An infatuation I have abandoned, making no excuses,

And a lapse against which I had not guarded myself.

And a swoon I was in, taking no precautions.

جَرَيتُ فيها عَلى حُكمِ الصِّبا وَلَعاً

جَرَيتُ فيها عَلى حُكمِ الصِّبا وَلَعاً

فَإِن ضَلَلتُ فَإِنّي بَعدُ في الغَلَسِ

فَإِن ضَلَلتُ فَإِنّي بَعدُ في الغَلَسِ

In it I followed youth’s dictates, infatuated;

I rushed into it by the ruling of youthful passion,

So if I have gone astray, I am still in the darkness before dawn.

So if I strayed, I am still in the dark.