لِلَّهِ ما صَنَعَ الغَرامُ بِقَلبِهِ

لِلَّهِ ما صَنَعَ الغَرامُ بِقَلبِهِ

أَودى بِهِ لمّا أَلبَّ بِلبِّهِ

أَودى بِهِ لمّا أَلبَّ بِلبِّهِ

God! What passion has done to his heart!

What love has done with his heart

It ruined him when it lodged in his mind.

It led him to ruin when it drew him to itself

لَبّاهُ لَمَّا أَن دَعاهُ وَهكَذا

لَبّاهُ لَمَّا أَن دَعاهُ وَهكَذا

مَن يَدعهُ داعي الغَرامِ يُلَبِّهِ

مَن يَدعهُ داعي الغَرامِ يُلَبِّهِ

He answered it when it called him; and so

It drew him when it called him, and so

Whoever passion's caller summons answers him.

Whoever love's allure calls, it draws to itself

بِأَبي الَّذي لا تَستَطيعُ لِعجبِهِ

بِأَبي الَّذي لا تَستَطيعُ لِعجبِهِ

رَدَّ السَلامِ وَإِن شَكَكتُ فَعج بِهِ

رَدَّ السَلامِ وَإِن شَكَكتُ فَعج بِهِ

May my father ransom him whose pride leaves you unable

By my father, whom I cannot fathom his splendor

To return the greeting; and if I doubt, then stop by him.

Returning the greeting though I doubted him, so be awed by him

ظَبيٌ مِنَ الأَتراكِ ما تَرَك الضَنا

ظَبيٌ مِنَ الأَتراكِ ما تَرَك الضَنا

أَلحاظه مِن سَلوَةٍ لِمُحِبِّهِ

أَلحاظه مِن سَلوَةٍ لِمُحِبِّهِ

A gazelle among the Turks—his sickness-bringing glances

A gazelle from the Turks, he left no intimacy

Have left his lover not a trace of solace.

His glances of softness for his lover

إِن كُنتَ تُنكِر ما جَنى بِلِحاظِهِ

إِن كُنتَ تُنكِر ما جَنى بِلِحاظِهِ

في سَلبِهِ يَومَ الغويرِ فَسَل بِهِ

في سَلبِهِ يَومَ الغويرِ فَسَل بِهِ

If you deny what he wrought with his glances

If you deny what his gaze has reaped

In his plundering on the day at al-Ghuwayr, then ask about him.

In robbing him the day they mingled, then ask about him

أَو شِئتَ أَن تَلقى غَزالاً أَغيَداً

أَو شِئتَ أَن تَلقى غَزالاً أَغيَداً

في سِربِهِ أَسَدُ العَرينِ فَسِر بِهِ

في سِربِهِ أَسَدُ العَرينِ فَسِر بِهِ

Or if you wish to meet a lithe gazelle,

Or if you wish to find a plump gazelle

In whose herd is the lion of the den—then travel with him.

In his herd, the lion of the den, then go to him

يا ما أُمَيلحهُ وَأَعذَبَ ريقَهُ

يا ما أُمَيلحهُ وَأَعذَبَ ريقَهُ

وَأَعزَّهُ وَأَذَلَّني في حُبِّهِ

وَأَعزَّهُ وَأَذَلَّني في حُبِّهِ

Oh, how charming he is, and how sweet his saliva!

Oh how smooth his saliva is and how sweet his spittle

And how exalted he is, and how abased I am in loving him!

And most dignified is he, though he has humbled me by his love

أَو ما أُلَيطف وَرده في خَدِّهِ

أَو ما أُلَيطف وَرده في خَدِّهِ

وَأَرَقّها وَأَشدَّ قَسوَة قَلبِهِ

وَأَرَقّها وَأَشدَّ قَسوَة قَلبِهِ

Or how dainty are the roses on his cheek!

How gently pink are his cheeks

And how tender they are, and how cruel his heart!

And most serene, though harsh are their hardness of heart

كَم مِن خِمارٍ دونَ خَمرَةِ ريقِهِ

كَم مِن خِمارٍ دونَ خَمرَةِ ريقِهِ

وَعَذابُ قَلبٍ دونَ رائِقِ عَذبِهِ

وَعَذابُ قَلبٍ دونَ رائِقِ عَذبِهِ

How many a veil lies before the wine of his saliva,

How many wineskins devoid of the wine of his saliva

And how much torment of heart before his pure sweetness!

And the torment of a heart devoid of the bliss of his torment

نادى بِنَفسِجِ عارِضَيهِ تَعَمُّداً

نادى بِنَفسِجِ عارِضَيهِ تَعَمُّداً

يا عاشِقينَ تَمَتَّعوا مِن قُربِهِ

يا عاشِقينَ تَمَتَّعوا مِن قُربِهِ

The violets of his cheeks deliberately called out:

He purposely called out with the narcissus of his cheeks

O lovers, enjoy his nearness!

Oh lovers, delight from his nearness!