منamong خصايصthe traits عنودthe elusive one الصيدof the game كثرmany الطواريpassing whims
من خصايص عنود الصيد كثر الطواري
عادةthe habit of الظبيthe gazelle يجفلshies لاتحركwhen they move ظلالهits shadows
عادة الظبي يجفل لاتحرك ظلاله
Among the traits of elusive game are its many passing whims.
Some traits of prey are their skittishness
The gazelle is wont to shy when its shadows stir.
A gazelle's habit is to bolt, its shadows unstirred
ماnot يصيدcatches الجوازيgazelles كودexcept بخصٍan expert وضاريand seasoned
ما يصيد الجوازي كود بخصٍ وضاري
القنصhunting بالركادهwith composure والتسرعand haste جهالهfolly
القنص بالركاده والتسرع جهاله
Only an expert, seasoned hunter can catch gazelles.
The hunter doesn't chase just any deer or beast
Hunting takes composure; haste is folly.
Rushing the hunt is ignorance, ambush is skilled
ولايعرفand does not know الطردthe chase منwhoever لايعرفdoes not know الصحاريthe deserts
ولايعرف الطرد من لايعرف الصحاري
ماتعرّضhas not faced سمومscorching winds ولاتعرضnor faced شمالهa north wind
ماتعرّض سموم ولاتعرض شماله
Nor does one unfamiliar with the deserts know the chase,
One who knows not the deserts knows not how to evade
Who has faced neither scorching winds nor the north wind.
Neither exposing his flank nor facing the poisoned wind
كلّevery دربٍpath عليهalong it منfrom among المخاليقpeople ساريa night traveler
كلّ دربٍ عليه من المخاليق ساري
للسوالفfor talk رجالmen وللشكالهand for worthy deeds رجالهits men
للسوالف رجال وللشكاله رجاله
Every path has someone journeying along it by night.
Every path has men, for idle talk and for consequences
Talk has its men, and worthy deeds have theirs.
You, my love of the wilderness, gazelle of the wilds
وانتand you عشقةthe love of حياتيmy life ياغزالO gazelle البراريthe wilds
وانت عشقة حياتي ياغزال البراري
أتفاولI take a good omen بوجهكfrom your face سعدfortunate is منthe one who صرتyou have become فالهhis good omen
أتفاول بوجهك سعد من صرت فاله
And you are the love of my life, O gazelle of the wilds.
I seek luck in your face since becoming enthralled
I take your face as a good omen; fortunate is he whose omen you have become.
You, by God, are my beloved, you are my home
إنتyou واللهby God حبيبيmy beloved وإنتand you واللهby God داريmy home
إنت والله حبيبي وإنت والله داري
إنindeed نظرةa glance عيونكyour eyes يمtoward غيركsomeone other than you جمالهa courtesy
إن نظرة عيونك يم غيرك جماله
You are, by God, my beloved; and you are, by God, my home.
Your gaze unlike any other in beauty
Indeed, a glance from your eyes toward anyone else is a courtesy.
The torrent of your love flows unhindered
ماانقطعhas not ceased سيلthe torrent of حبكlove for you بالمعاليقthrough the heartstrings جاريflowing
ماانقطع سيل حبك بالمعاليق جاري
كنّas though قلبيmy heart خلقهcreated it اللهGod لحبكfor love of you سبالهa watercourse
كنّ قلبي خلقه الله لحبك سباله
The torrent of my love for you has not ceased; it flows through my heartstrings.
My heart was created by God to be your conduit
As though God created my heart as a watercourse for love of you.
My night, your moonlight...outshining my day
ليلتيmy night ياقمرهاO its moon ..غارgrew jealous منهاof it نهاريmy day
ليلتي ياقمرها ..غار منها نهاري
حيثfor وصلthe union of المودّهlove همسةٍa whisper فيin ليالهits nights
حيث وصل المودّه همسةٍ في لياله
My day has grown jealous of my night, O you who are its moon.
Where love's whisper comes on a night breeze
For love's union is a whisper in its nights.
Your passion's glow matched my fervor and fire
جعلmay واهجthe blaze of غرامكyour passion مثلlike وجديmy yearning وناريand my fire
جعل واهج غرامك مثل وجدي وناري
ميرbut ماnot اظنI think فيin دنياthe world of المحبةlove عدالهfairness
مير ما اظن في دنيا المحبة عداله
May your passion's blaze match my yearning and my fire.
I think there is no justice in the world of love
But I do not think there is fairness in the world of love.
Partial English translation: 17 of 18 Arabic lines translated.