أساءت لمن لم يبد منه لها ذنب

أساءت لمن لم يبد منه لها ذنب

فأغضى ولم يصدر لمغضبه عتب

فأغضى ولم يصدر لمغضبه عتب

She wronged one who had done her no wrong;

She wronged one who did no wrong to her,

So he overlooked it and offered no reproach to the one who angered him.

So he was patient and voiced no complaint in his anger.

تجور علينا الغانيات كأنها

تجور علينا الغانيات كأنها

سلاطين إطلاق يؤلهها الشعب

سلاطين إطلاق يؤلهها الشعب

Beautiful women tyrannize us as though they were

The singers oppress us as if they were

Absolute sovereigns whom the people deify.

Sultans whom the people deify.

فيا حبذا جور يوطد حب من

فيا حبذا جور يوطد حب من

تسلط عنه والهوى مركب صعب

تسلط عنه والهوى مركب صعب

So, how welcome the tyranny that strengthens love for one

Oh how good is the oppression that strengthens the love

Whose domination it springs from—love is a difficult mount.

Of one who dominates you, though love is a difficult ship.

يلومنني في الحب وهو مقدر

يلومنني في الحب وهو مقدر

وقالوا عذاب قلت لكنه عذب

وقالوا عذاب قلت لكنه عذب

They blame me for love, though it is ordained;

They blame me for love though it is predestined,

And they said, “Torment!” I said, “Yet it is sweet.”

And they said "torture", I said "but it is sweet."

وما حيلتي واللطف منها استمالني

وما حيلتي واللطف منها استمالني

اليها وإن غشت أشعته السحب

اليها وإن غشت أشعته السحب

What recourse have I, when her kindness has drawn me

I had no power, her charm made me incline

To her, even though clouds have veiled its rays?

Toward her, though clouds concealed her radiance.

هي الورد يؤذي القاطفين ويجتني

هي الورد يؤذي القاطفين ويجتني

ونصدق ان قلنا هي الظبي والضب

ونصدق ان قلنا هي الظبي والضب

She is the rose: it hurts those who pluck it, yet is plucked;

She is the rose that hurts the pickers and is picked,

And we speak truly if we say she is the gazelle and the spiny-tailed lizard.

And we speak truth if we say she is the gazelle and the onager.

أذل الهوى نفسي وكانت أبية

أذل الهوى نفسي وكانت أبية

وما حلت عن طبعي ولكن هو الحب

وما حلت عن طبعي ولكن هو الحب

Love humbled my soul, though it had been proud;

Love humiliated my soul though she was disdainful

Nor have I departed from my nature—but such is love.

And did not change her nature, but it is love.

وما خلت أن الدار تسعى لربها

وما خلت أن الدار تسعى لربها

إلى أن غدا يسعى لساكنه القلب

إلى أن غدا يسعى لساكنه القلب

I never imagined that a house would hasten to its master,

The abode does not cease to strive for its Lord

Until the heart began to hasten to its inhabitant.

Until He comes to dwell in its heart.

تلقيت أنباء الوشاة صحيحة

تلقيت أنباء الوشاة صحيحة

ولكنها في السر منها هي الكذب

ولكنها في السر منها هي الكذب

I received the talebearers' reports as true;

I received the spies' news as true

Yet privately, on her part, they are lies.

But in secret it is from her that the lie comes.

وما ضر محفوظ الوداد جحودها

وما ضر محفوظ الوداد جحودها

علانية كيما يزال به الخطب

علانية كيما يزال به الخطب

Nor did her denial harm the affection kept safe,

The denial of her affection does no harm when made

Spoken openly so that trouble might thereby be dispelled.

Publicly, so that it may dispel anxiety.

وقلت لها يوما لمن بك أشتكي

وقلت لها يوما لمن بك أشتكي

ليحكم بالإنصاف سامحك الرب

ليحكم بالإنصاف سامحك الرب

One day I said to her, “To whom can I complain about you,

And I said to her one day "To whom can I complain of you

So he may judge fairly? May the Lord forgive you!”

That he may judge with fairness?" Have mercy on me, Lord.

فقالت وفي العينين مصداق قولها

فقالت وفي العينين مصداق قولها

إلى ارفع الشكوى فقلت لها حسب

إلى ارفع الشكوى فقلت لها حسب

Then she said, her eyes confirming her words:

She said, with her eyes confirming her words:

“Bring your complaint to me.” I said to her, “Enough.”

"Make your complaint to the Highest." I said to her "Enough."