ياO ظَبيَةًa gazelle منamong ظِباءِgazelles الأُنسِdelight in companionship راتِعةًgrazing at ease
يا ظَبيَةً من ظِباءِ الأُنسِ راتِعةً
بَينَamong القُصورِthe palaces تعالىexalted is اللَهُGod باريكِyour Creator
بَينَ القُصورِ تعالى اللَهُ باريكِ
O gazelle among the gazelles of delight, grazing at ease
O gazelle of companionship's gazelles wandering
Among the palaces—exalted is God, your Creator!
Among palaces, may God exalt you, my blessed one
هَلis ...? النَعيمُbliss سوىother than يومٍa day أراكI see you بهon it
هَل النَعيمُ سوى يومٍ أراك به
أوor ساعةٍan hour بِتُّI spent the night أَقضيهاI spend it بِناديكِat your gathering
أو ساعةٍ بِتُّ أَقضيها بِناديكِ
Is bliss anything but a day on which I see you,
Is bliss anything but a day I saw you in
Or an hour I spent by night at your gathering?
Or an hour I spent calling out to you?
وَهلand does ...? يَعُدُّcount عليَّagainst me العمرَlife واهبهُits giver
وَهل يَعُدُّ عليَّ العمرَ واهبهُ
إنif لمnot يُجَمِّلهadorn it نَظمُa string الدُرِّpearls منfrom فيكِyour mouth
إن لم يُجَمِّله نَظمُ الدُرِّ من فيكِ
And does life's Giver count my lifetime against me
Can time pass me by and still call its giver kind
If a string of pearls from your mouth does not adorn it?
If the stringing of pearls from your mouth does not adorn it?
إنif قابَلَتكِmeets you الصَباthe east wind فيin مِصرَEgypt عاطِرَةًfragrant
إن قابَلَتكِ الصَبا في مِصرَ عاطِرَةً
فَأَيقِنيthen be certain أنَّهاthat it عنّيon my behalf تُناجيكِwhispers to you
فَأَيقِني أنَّها عنّي تُناجيكِ
If the fragrant east wind meets you in Egypt,
If the morning breeze encounters you in fragrant Egypt
Then be certain that it whispers to you on my behalf,
Know truly that it whispers to you from me
وَأَنَّهاand that it حملَتhas carried فيin طَيِّthe folds of بُردَتِهاits cloak
وَأَنَّها حملَت في طَيِّ بُردَتِها
قَلباًa heart بعَثتُI sent بهit (object of 'sent') كَيماso that يُحَيّيكِit may greet you
قَلباً بعَثتُ به كَيما يُحَيّيكِ
And that it has carried within the folds of its cloak
And that it carried in its sweet mantle
A heart I sent, so that it might greet you.
A heart I sent so it may give you life