نزعتI cast off دينthe creed of التسليself-consolation فيin هواكlove for you وقدand indeed
نزعت دين التسلي في هواك وقد
لبستI donned دينthe creed of التصابيyouthful dalliance فيكfor you جلباباa cloak
لبست دين التصابي فيك جلبابا
I cast off the creed of consolation in loving you, and have
I shed the creed of frivolity for your love,
donned the creed of youthful dalliance for you as a cloak.
And donned the creed of devotion like a robe.
قطعتyou severed حبلكyour cord عنfrom حبليmy cord بلاwithout سببa cause
قطعت حبلك عن حبلي بلا سبب
ياO قاطعاًone who severs منfrom حبالthe cords of الوصلunion أسباباstrands
يا قاطعاً من حبال الوصل أسبابا
You severed your cord from mine without cause,
You severed our bond for no reason.
O you who cut strands from the cords of union!
O severer of the causes of connection!
أعللI soothe with hope القلبthe heart أنthat يحظىit may attain بمنيتهits wish (with)
أعلل القلب أن يحظى بمنيته
فكمso how often أعللI soothe with hope قلباًa heart فيكin you قدalready خاباwas disappointed
فكم أعلل قلباً فيك قد خابا
I soothe my heart with hope that it may attain its wish;
I urge my heart to attain its wish,
how often, then, I soothe a heart already disappointed in you!
So how much have I urged a heart in you that failed?
منwho ليfor me بياقوتwith the ruby of خدٍّa cheek منكof yours ملتهبablaze
من لي بياقوت خدٍّ منك ملتهب
يزيدincreases خدكyour cheek قبيلshortly before; perhaps intended as “kissing” الهاباa setting aflame
يزيد خدك قبيل الهابا
Who can bring me the ruby of your blazing cheek?
If only I had a ruby the color of your flushed cheek,
Kissing makes your cheek blaze still more [uncertain reading].
It would increase the beauty of your cheek when it glows.
قابلتI encountered منهfrom it نسيمthe breeze of الوردroses أسألهasking it
قابلت منه نسيم الورد أسأله
هلdid ...? طابgrew sweet منهfrom it نسيمthe breeze of الوردroses إذwhen طاباit grew sweet
هل طاب منه نسيم الورد إذ طابا
I met the rose’s breeze coming from it and asked it:
I met the breeze of roses from it, I asked it:
“Did the rose’s breeze take its sweetness from it when it grew sweet?”
Did the breeze of roses smell sweet when it was fragrant?
أماas for وصلتِyou came (feminine) جبينa brow منكof yours مثَّunclear; perhaps intended as “evoked” ليfor me
أما وصلتِ جبين منك مثَّ لي
لدميةfor the statue of القصرthe palace أوor داودDavid محراباa sanctuary
لدمية القصر أو داود محرابا
As for your coming, your brow evoked for me [uncertain reading]
Have you not reached my forehead from you, as if
a sanctuary for the palace’s statue, or for David.
For the doll of the palace or David's prayer niche?
ماwhat ضرَّharm did it do كونكyour being بالسنin age الصغيرyoung وقدwhile already
ما ضرَّ كونك بالسن الصغير وقد
أحرزتyou have attained ضعفtwice as much as كبيرone advanced in السنage آداباrefinement
أحرزت ضعف كبير السن آدابا
What harm is there in your being young in years, when
It does not matter that you are young,
you have gained twice an elder’s refinement?
For you have attained the morals of the elderly.