ضحكتyou smiled ليat me وانثنيتand you turned away
ضحكت لي وانثنيت
باللهby God ماذاwhat نويتyou intended
بالله ماذا نويت
You smiled at me and turned away.
By God, what did you intend?
بدأتyou began بالحبwith love لكنbut
بدأت بالحب لكن
أخافنيit frightened me أنthat بدأتyou began
أخافني أن بدأت
You began with love, but
it frightened me that you began.
فهلso, did...? أردتyou intended عناديdefying me
فهل أردت عنادي
فيin الحبlove حتىso that ضحكتyou smiled
في الحب حتى ضحكت
So was it to defy me
in love that you smiled?
فيon الشرفةthe balcony الصبحthe morning كنتyou were
في الشرفة الصبح كنت
علىin a state of وجومgloom وصمتand silence
على وجوم وصمت
In the morning, you were on the balcony,
somber and silent.
لكنbut توجهتyou turned نحويtoward me
لكن توجهت نحوي
وكانand it was أجملthe loveliest وقتmoment
وكان أجمل وقت
But you turned toward me,
and it was the loveliest moment.
وحينand when وجهتI turned وجهيmy face
وحين وجهت وجهي
إليكtoward you عنيaway from me انشغلتyou became preoccupied
إليك عني انشغلت
And when I turned my face
toward you, you turned your attention away from me.
فحدثينيso tell me لماذاwhy
فحدثيني لماذا
لماwhen التفتI turned to look انصرفتyou turned away
لما التفت انصرفت
So tell me why,
when I turned to look, you turned away?
وفيمand why بالحقtruthfully قوليsay
وفيم بالحق قولي
لماwhen انصرفتI turned away التفتyou turned to look
لما انصرفت التفت
And tell me truthfully why,
when I turned away, you turned to look?
داريconceal it إذاthen أوor أبينيmake it plain
داري إذا أو أبيني
عرفتI know ماwhat قدalready عرفتyou know
عرفت ما قد عرفت
Conceal it, then, or make it plain:
I know what you already know.
أهليmy family وأهلكand your family نامواfell asleep
أهلي وأهلك ناموا
وقمتand I kept vigil ليليmy night وقمتand you kept vigil
وقمت ليلي وقمت
My family and yours fell asleep,
and I kept vigil through my night, and so did you.
ماas long as دامremained بيتكyour house نوراlight
ما دام بيتك نورا
ماnot كنتI was أطفئextinguishing بيتيmy house
ما كنت أطفئ بيتي
As long as your house stayed alight,
I would not put out the light in my house.
لاdo not تبخسيناdeny us هواناour love
لا تبخسينا هوانا
وكلand every أمرmatter لوقتfor a time
وكل أمر لوقت
Do not deny us our love,
and everything has its time.