كَتَمَhe concealed الهَوىlove فَوَشَتso they informed عَلَيهِagainst him دُموعُهُhis tears
كَتَمَ الهَوى فَوَشَت عَلَيهِ دُموعُهُ
مِنfrom حَرِّheat جَمرٍembers تَحتَويهِenclose it ضُلوعُهُhis ribs
مِن حَرِّ جَمرٍ تَحتَويهِ ضُلوعُهُ
He concealed his love, but his tears betrayed him,
He concealed his love, so his tears flowed over him,
from the heat of embers enclosed within his ribs.
From the heat of embers burning inside his ribs.
صَبٌّa lovesick man تَشاغَلَbusied themselves بِالرَبيعِwith spring وزَهرُهُand its blossoms
صَبٌّ تَشاغَلَ بِالرَبيعِ وزَهرُهُ
قَومٌsome people وَفيand in وَجهِthe face of الحَبيبِthe beloved رَبيعُهُhis spring
قَومٌ وَفي وَجهِ الحَبيبِ رَبيعُهُ
A lovesick man—spring and its blossoms have occupied
A pouring rain preoccupied with springtime and its flowers,
some people, while his spring lies in the beloved's face.
A people, and in the face of the beloved is their spring.
ياO لائِميmy reproacher فيمَنconcerning one whose تَمَنَّعَheld back وَصلُهُunion with him
يا لائِمي فيمَن تَمَنَّعَ وَصلُهُ
عَنfrom بُغيَتيmy desire أَحلىsweetest الهَوىlove مَمنوعُهُits denied kind
عَن بُغيَتي أَحلى الهَوى مَمنوعُهُ
O you who reproach me for one whose union is withheld
O you who blame me for the one who was aloof and whose company I desired,
from my desire: the sweetest love is that which is denied.
The most delicious forbidden love is the one I crave.
كَيفَhow التَخَلُّصُescape إِنif تَجَنّىhe made false accusations أَوor جَنىhe did wrong
كَيفَ التَخَلُّصُ إِن تَجَنّى أَو جَنى
وَالحُسنُand beauty شَيءٌsomething ماnot يُرَدُّis refused شَفيعُهُits intercessor
وَالحُسنُ شَيءٌ ما يُرَدُّ شَفيعُهُ
How can I escape if he accuses unjustly or does wrong,
How to get free when he turns away or comes close,
when beauty is something whose intercessor is never refused?
Beauty is something whose intercessor cannot be refused.
شَمسٌa sun وَلَكِنand yet فيin فُؤاديmy heart حَرُّهاits heat
شَمسٌ وَلَكِن في فُؤادي حَرُّها
بَدرٌa full moon وَلَكِنand yet فيin القَباءِthe robe طُلوعُهُits rising
بَدرٌ وَلَكِن في القَباءِ طُلوعُهُ
A sun, yet its heat is in my heart;
A sun, but in my heart is its heat,
a full moon, yet it rises in a robe.
A full moon, but in the horizon is its rising.
قالَsaid العَواذِلُthe reproachers ماwhat الَّذيthat which اِستَحسَنتَهُyou found it beautiful
قالَ العَواذِلُ ما الَّذي اِستَحسَنتَهُ
فيهِin him وَماand what يَسبيكَcaptivates you قُلتُI said جَميعُهُall of him
فيهِ وَما يَسبيكَ قُلتُ جَميعُهُ
The reproachers said, "What did you find beautiful
The critics said "What is it you like about him?"
in him, and what captivates you?" I said, "All of him."
I said "All of him".