أعِنhelp محبكyour lover واعصِand defy منwhoever عذلاcensured
أعِن محبك واعصِ من عذلا
ليسَis not الصدودُturning away جزاءَrecompense منone who وَصلاkept the bond
ليسَ الصدودُ جزاءَ من وَصلا
Help your lover, and defy whoever censures him.
Help your lover and disobey the one who finds fault
Turning away is no reward for one who has kept the bond.
Turning away is not the reward for one who joins
لاmay not نالَhe attain منكَfrom you منىًwishes يُسرُّhe is delighted بهاby them
لا نالَ منكَ منىً يُسرُّ بها
إنif لمnot تكنyou are لفؤادهِfor his heart شُغلاa preoccupation
إن لم تكن لفؤادهِ شُغلا
May he attain no wish from you that delights him,
He will not attain delight from you that gladdens him
If you are not his heart’s preoccupation.
If his heart is not preoccupied with you
ياO pinnacle غايةًin فيhis beauty حسنهِa paragon مثلاa paragon
يا غايةً في حسنهِ مثلا
صِلshow affection to مُدنفاًa lovesick man صَيرتهُyou have made him مثلاa byword
صِل مُدنفاً صَيرتهُ مثلا
O supreme exemplar of beauty,
O you who are unparalleled in your beauty
Show affection to a lovesick man whom you have made a byword.
Join one who is dejected, you made him thus
فوعزةٍso, by honor سكَنتdwelt جوانحَهُhis ribs
فوعزةٍ سكَنت جوانحَهُ
ماnot إنan emphatic particle سَلاكَhe ceased loving you ولاnor ابتَغىhe sought بدلاa replacement
ما إن سَلاكَ ولا ابتَغى بدلا
So, by the honor lodged within his ribs,
By the honor that resides in his bosom
He has not ceased loving you, nor sought another.
He did not leave you nor seek another