رَأَيتُها أَلف مَرة

رَأَيتُها أَلف مَرة

فَلَم تَجد لي بِنَظره

فَلَم تَجد لي بِنَظره

I saw her a thousand times,

I saw her a thousand times

yet she never granted me a glance,

Yet my gaze did not find for me in her

حَتّى غَدَوتُ وَما لي

حَتّى غَدَوتُ وَما لي

عَلى التَجلُّد قدره

عَلى التَجلُّد قدره

until I was left with no

Until I persevered though I had no aptitude for such perseverance

strength to endure.

So my tears betrayed my love

فَباحَ بِالحُب دَمعي

فَباحَ بِالحُب دَمعي

وَنلت بِالحُب شهره

وَنلت بِالحُب شهره

So my tears disclosed my love,

And through love I attained its pinnacle

and through love I gained renown.

Did my narrative reach you?

فَهَل أَتاكَ حَديثي

فَهَل أَتاكَ حَديثي

فَفيهِ للغيد عبره

فَفيهِ للغيد عبره

Has my story reached you, then?

In it is a moral for the heartsick

For in it is a lesson for graceful maidens.

O Ghadah, epitome of

يا غادة في جَبين

يا غادة في جَبين

الجَمال وَاللطف غُره

الجَمال وَاللطف غُره

O graceful maiden, upon the brow

Beauty and grace

of beauty and grace, a radiant mark,

When will you be generous to a

مَتى تَجودين للن

مَتى تَجودين للن

نفس بِالهَنا وَالمَسَرّه

نفس بِالهَنا وَالمَسَرّه

when will you bestow upon the

Soul with bliss and joy?

soul happiness and joy?

I marvel at love, for I

عجبت للحب إِني

عجبت للحب إِني

أَرى الحسان بِكَثره

أَرى الحسان بِكَثره

I marveled at love: I

See beauty abundantly

see beautiful women in abundance,

Created from the bud of dawn as it opens its chest

خَلَقنَ مِن طَلعة الفج

خَلَقنَ مِن طَلعة الفج

ر وَهُوَ يَفتَح صَدره

ر وَهُوَ يَفتَح صَدره

fashioned from dawn's countenance

My eyes did not seek from them a speck

as it opens its breast.

But your beauty, by Allah, opened the flower of love

فَما اِبتَغيتُ وَعَيني

فَما اِبتَغيتُ وَعَيني

ك مِن هَواهنَّ ذره

ك مِن هَواهنَّ ذره

Yet I sought not—by your eyes—

You are my occupation morning and evening

a speck of love for them.

You did not disappear for a moment, O acme of beauty

لَكن لحسنك وَالل

لَكن لحسنك وَالل

ه فَتّح الحُب زَهره

ه فَتّح الحُب زَهره

But for your beauty—by God—

Is there any solace for a grieving heart,

love unfolded its blossoms.

O my wish, from affliction?

أَنتَ الحَديث وَشُغلي

أَنتَ الحَديث وَشُغلي

لَدى العَشي وَبُكره

لَدى العَشي وَبُكره

You are my talk and my preoccupation

in the evening and in the morning.

لَم تَغربي يا ذَكاء ال

لَم تَغربي يا ذَكاء ال

جَمال عنّيَ فتره

جَمال عنّيَ فتره

You have not set, O Dhukāʾ, sun of

beauty, away from me for a moment.

فَهَل لقلب كَئيب

فَهَل لقلب كَئيب

يا منيتي مِن مَبَرَّه

يا منيتي مِن مَبَرَّه

Is there, then, for a sorrowful heart,

O my heart's desire, any kindness?