ياO أيُّهاyou ذاthis الشادنُthe fawn الخرعوبُslender and supple
يا أيُّها ذا الشادنُ الخرعوبُ
دَعْنَاlet us ننالُattain مرادَناour desire ونتوبand repent
دَعْنَا ننالُ مرادَنا ونتوب
O you there—this tender, timid young gazelle!
O you, slender, supple fawn,
Let us attain our desire, and then repent.
Let us attain our desire and repent.
ولقدand indeed يضلّgoes astray الحرُّthe noble man وهوwhile he is مُوقرٌdignified
ولقد يضلّ الحرُّ وهو مُوقرٌ
ولقدand indeed يزلُّstumbles المرءُthe person وهوwhile he is لبيبُwise
ولقد يزلُّ المرءُ وهو لبيبُ
Even the noble may stray, though he is revered;
And a noble man may indeed stray, though dignified,
even a man may stumble, though he is discerning.
and a man may indeed stumble, though wise.
لوif شاءَhad willed رَبّكَyour Lord ليfor me عفافاًchastity لمnot يكنْbe
لو شاءَ رَبّكَ لي عفافاً لم يكنْ
قمرٌa moon يموجُsways بهin him نقاًa sand dune وقضِيْبand a bough
قمرٌ يموجُ به نقاً وقضِيْب
Had your Lord willed chastity for me, there would have been no
Had your Lord willed chastity for me, there would be no
moon in whom dune and slender bough undulate.
moon in whom a sand dune and a bough sway,
ولماand would not يَرىone sees بَرَداًhail بثغركin your mouth نابتاًsprouting
ولما يَرى بَرَداً بثغرك نابتاً
وعليهand for it أكبادُlivers الرجالof men تذوبmelt
وعليه أكبادُ الرجال تذوب
And when one sees hail budding in your mouth,
nor would one see hail sprouting in your mouth,
men’s very livers melt for it.
while men's livers melt for it.
لاdo not تحِبَسْنever withhold عنيfrom me خيالُكَyour phantom أنّهfor it
لا تحِبَسْن عني خيالُكَ أنّه
وأبيكَby your father لهوit is indeed الزائرُthe visitor المحبوبُbeloved
وأبيكَ لهو الزائرُ المحبوبُ
Never suppose your phantom is absent from me; indeed it is—
Do not withhold your phantom from me, for it—
by your father—the beloved visitor.
by your father—is indeed the beloved visitor.
ياO يوسفاًYusuf فيin الحسنbeauty كنbe ليfor me باعثاًone who sends
يا يوسفاً في الحسن كن لي باعثاً
منكfrom you القميصَthe shirt فإنّهfor he is يعقوبُYaqub
منك القميصَ فإنّه يعقوبُ
O Joseph in beauty, be one who sends me
O Yusuf in beauty, send me
your shirt—for I am Jacob.
your shirt, for this man is Yaqub.
ولئنand if indeed ظمئتI thirst فماthen not بغيركthrough anyone other than you ارتويI quench my thirst
ولئن ظمئت فما بغيرك ارتوي
ولئنand if indeed مرضتُI fall ill فماthen no سواكother than you طبيبa physician
ولئن مرضتُ فما سواك طبيب
Though I thirst, I drink my fill from none but you;
And if I thirst, none but you can quench me;
and though I fall ill, none but you is my physician.
and if I fall ill, there is no physician but you.
