ياO مشبّكmushabbak (a latticed sweet) حُشيstuffed
يا مشبّك حُشي
ولغيريand to someone other than me مشيwent
ولغيري مشي
O mushabbak, stuffed full,
O my beloved companion,
and gone to someone other than me!
Go about your way,
أنتyou ماnot تختشيfeel shame
أنت ما تختشي
إنif زادتincrease غبونيmy grievances
إن زادت غبوني
You have no shame.
You need not fear me,
If my grievances grow,
Even if my madness increases,
تنصابyou will be struck منby عيونيmy eyes (the evil eye)
تنصاب من عيوني
فيكin you قلبيmy heart انتعاشrevival
فيك قلبي انتعاش
you'll be struck by my evil eye.
You attract my eyes,
In you my heart finds revival,
In you my heart finds solace,
أيyes ولوand even if جيتyou came بلاشfor free
أي ولو جيت بلاش
كمhow many عليكfor you ماتdied وعاشand lived
كم عليك مات وعاش
yes, even if you came for free!
Yes, even if you come empty-handed,
How many have died and lived for you,
Many have died and lived for you,
لمّاwhen حاربونيthey fought me
لمّا حاربوني
ناسpeople فيكfor you زاحمونيthey jostled me
ناس فيك زاحموني
when they fought me—
When people competed against me for you,
people who jostled me for you!
Every hour I walk
كلevery ساعةhour أسيرI go
كل ساعة أسير
لكto you بقلبwith a heart كسيرbroken
لك بقلب كسير
Every hour I go
To you with a broken heart,
to you with a broken heart.
My desire for you is simple,
مطلبيmy request فيكof you يسيرmodest
مطلبي فيك يسير
قنطارa qintar (a large weight unit) فيin صحونيmy dishes
قنطار في صحوني
My request of you is modest:
Like a bowl in my dish,
a qintar in my dishes,
Tomorrow they will come to me,
منfrom بكرهtomorrow يجونيthey come to me
من بكره يجوني
ياO غلامlad كمhow long تحومyou hover
يا غلام كم تحوم
to come to me from tomorrow onward.
O boy, how much do you waver,
O lad, how long you hover!
What is it that you intend,
ماwhat الذيthat which جيتyou came ترومyou seek
ما الذي جيت تروم
ايشwhat مرادكyour wish تصومyou fast
ايش مرادك تصوم
What have you come to seek?
What do you want to fast,
What do you want—to fast?
Is it the month of Ramadan,
هلwhether شهرthe month الصيامof fasting
هل شهر الصيام
صارhas become طولthroughout الدوامall time
صار طول الدوام
Has the month of fasting
Has it lasted this long,
become everlasting?
Who has any clothes left,
مَنwho بقىhas remained لهfor him قماشcloth
مَن بقى له قماش
غيرexcept ثوبياتlittle garments ولاشand nothing else
غير ثوبيات ولاش
Who has any cloth left,
Except for rags,
apart from a few little garments and nothing else?
How much is my yearning and joy,
كمhow much حنينيhanini cloth وشاشand muslin
كم حنيني وشاش
راحواthey have gone فيon الطعامfood
راحوا في الطعام
How much hanini cloth and muslin
They left for food,
have gone to pay for food!
So go in peace.
فارحلso depart فيin سلامpeace
فارحل في سلام
So depart in peace.
Partial English translation: 24 of 25 Arabic lines translated.