ولستُand I am not بواصفٍone who describes أبداًever حبيباًa beloved
ولستُ بواصفٍ أبداً حبيباً
أعرضهُI expose him لأهواءِto the desires of الرجالِmen
أعرضهُ لأهواءِ الرجالِ
I will never describe a beloved,
I never describe my beloved
exposing him to the desires of men.
To the whims of other men
وماand what باليis the matter with me أشوقُI stir longing in قلبَthe heart of غيريsomeone other than me
وما بالي أشوقُ قلبَ غيري
إليهtoward him ودونهand before him سترُthe veil of الحجالِthe bridal chambers
إليه ودونه سترُ الحجالِ
And why should I stir another's heart to longing
Why should I make another heart yearn for him
for him, while the veil of the bridal chambers screens him?
While he is veiled from all but me
كأنيas though I أشتهيdesire الشركاءَpartners فيهin him
كأني أشتهي الشركاءَ فيه
وآمنُand I feel safe فيهconcerning him إحداثَthe changes wrought by اللياليthe nights
وآمنُ فيه إحداثَ الليالي
As though I desired to share him with others,
It's as if I desired rivals in his love
and feared no changes the nights might bring concerning him.
Yet I trust him through the nights