يَا وَيْحَ نَفْسِي مِنْ هَوَى شَادِنٍ

يَا وَيْحَ نَفْسِي مِنْ هَوَى شَادِنٍ

غَازَلَ قَلْبِي لَحْظُهُ فَانْهَتَكْ

غَازَلَ قَلْبِي لَحْظُهُ فَانْهَتَكْ

Alas for my soul, enamored of a young gazelle—

Alas for my soul, in love with a young gazelle!

whose glance wooed my heart and laid its sanctity bare.

His glance wooed my heart, and it was laid bare.

ذِي نَظْرَةٍ كَالسِّحْرِ لَوْ صَادَفَتْ

ذِي نَظْرَةٍ كَالسِّحْرِ لَوْ صَادَفَتْ

غَمْزَتُهَا لَيْثَ وَغىً مَا فَتَكْ

غَمْزَتُهَا لَيْثَ وَغىً مَا فَتَكْ

Endowed with a gaze like sorcery—if there met

His gaze is like magic—if its wink should meet

her wink a lion of battle, he would never strike.

A lion of battle, he would not strike.

فَكَيْفَ أَحْمِي مُهْجَتِي بَعْدَمَا

فَكَيْفَ أَحْمِي مُهْجَتِي بَعْدَمَا

خَامَرَهَا الْوَجْدُ فَطَارَتْ بِتَكْ

خَامَرَهَا الْوَجْدُ فَطَارَتْ بِتَكْ

How, then, can I guard my very soul, now that

How, then, can I protect my heart, after

longing has possessed it and it has flown away to you?

Longing possessed it, and it flew apart in shreds?

فَلا يَلُمْنِي غَافِلٌ فَالْهَوَى

فَلا يَلُمْنِي غَافِلٌ فَالْهَوَى

سَيْفٌ إِذَا مَرَّ بِشَيءٍ بَتَكْ

سَيْفٌ إِذَا مَرَّ بِشَيءٍ بَتَكْ

Let no heedless man blame me, for passion

So let no heedless person blame me, for love

is a sword: whatever it passes over, it severs.

Is a sword: whatever it passes over, it severs.

مَاذَا عَلَى مَنْ بَخِلَتْ نَفْسُهُ

مَاذَا عَلَى مَنْ بَخِلَتْ نَفْسُهُ

بِالْوَصْلِ لَوْ قَبَّلْتُ طَرْفَ الأَتَكْ

بِالْوَصْلِ لَوْ قَبَّلْتُ طَرْفَ الأَتَكْ

What would it cost the one whose soul begrudges

What harm would it do one whose soul is stingy

union, if I kissed but the edge of his garment’s hem?

With union, if I kissed his garment's hem?