يقولون ماباحت بحبك مرة

يقولون ماباحت بحبك مرة

ولاكحلت طرفيك أحرفها النشوى

ولاكحلت طرفيك أحرفها النشوى

They say she has never once confessed her love for you,

They say she's never fallen in love

nor have her intoxicated letters lined your eyes with kohl.

Or lined her eyes with letters of passion

فقلت لعمري إنها العشق كله

فقلت لعمري إنها العشق كله

ولوأنها بكماء أمية النجوى

ولوأنها بكماء أمية النجوى

So I said: by my life, she is love in its entirety,

But I say it's love complete

even if she is mute, unlettered in whispered confidences.

Even if with the tears of Umayyah's sorrow

رزقت هواها رغم وصلي وبخلها

رزقت هواها رغم وصلي وبخلها

وقد تبطن النعمى وظاهرها بلوى

وقد تبطن النعمى وظاهرها بلوى

I was granted her love, despite my closeness and her stinginess;

I was granted her love despite our union and her stinginess

and bliss may lie hidden, its outward face an ordeal.

Good can be hidden while harm appears openly

تعودت أن أغشى حمى من أحبه

تعودت أن أغشى حمى من أحبه

وظمآن يبقيني وأتركه يروى

وظمآن يبقيني وأتركه يروى

I have grown used to entering the sanctuary of the one I love,

I'm used to taking fever from one I love

and he keeps me thirsty, while I let him drink his fill.

And leaving thirsty one who quenches himself

وإن كان من شجو فذاك لأنني

وإن كان من شجو فذاك لأنني

أنعم محروما ويحرم من أهوى

أنعم محروما ويحرم من أهوى

And if there is any sorrow, it is because I

And if I have any complaint it's because

live in bliss though deprived, while the one I love is deprived.

I'm denied blessings while my beloved is deprived of whom I adore