جزتُ بالحيِّ في العشيِّ فهبَّتْ

جزتُ بالحيِّ في العشيِّ فهبَّتْ

نفحةٌ أنعشتْ فؤادي المُعَنَّى

نفحةٌ أنعشتْ فؤادي المُعَنَّى

I passed through the quarter in the evening, and there arose

I was rewarded in the evening for my love,

A fragrant waft that revived my tormented heart.

A breeze blew and revived my weary heart.

قلتُ مِنْها ودُرْتُ أنظرُ حوْلي

قلتُ مِنْها ودُرْتُ أنظرُ حوْلي

نظراتِ الملهوفِ يُسرى ويُمنى

نظراتِ الملهوفِ يُسرى ويُمنى

I said, “From her!” and turned to look around me,

I looked around me with the glances

With the glances of one yearning, left and right.

Of one infatuated, to the left and right.

وإذا طيّبٌ جَنيٌّ من الرّم

وإذا طيّبٌ جَنيٌّ من الرّم

مان مثل النُّهودِ لو هي تُجنى

مان مثل النُّهودِ لو هي تُجنى

And behold, fragrant, freshly picked pome-

And there was a lad with ripe pomegranates,

granates, like breasts—if only they could be plucked.

Sweet as breasts ready to be plucked.

وافقت نظرتي نداءَ غلامٍ

وافقت نظرتي نداءَ غلامٍ

ناصري يا رمان من كَفْر كنَّا

ناصري يا رمان من كَفْر كنَّا

My glance coincided with a boy’s call:

My eyes met the call of a young man,

“Nazareth pomegranates! From Kafr Kanna!”

My ally, O pomegranate from our Kafr Kanna!

قلتُ أسرعْ به فدًى لَكَ مالي

قلتُ أسرعْ به فدًى لَكَ مالي

وترنَّمْ بذكره وتغنىَّ

وترنَّمْ بذكره وتغنىَّ

I said, “Hurry with it—my wealth be your ransom!

I said hurry to me, I will pay any price,

And chant its name, and sing!

And sing of it and rejoice.

يا رسولَ الحبيبِ من حيثُ لم تد

يا رسولَ الحبيبِ من حيثُ لم تد

رِ لقد جئْتني بما أتمنَّى

رِ لقد جئْتني بما أتمنَّى

O messenger of the beloved, without your know-

O messenger of my beloved, you have brought me

ing, you have indeed brought me what I long for!”

What I wished for though you did not know.