خدعوها بقولهم حناء

خدعوها بقولهم حناء

والتغالي من شأنه الإغراء

والتغالي من شأنه الإغراء

They deceived her by saying 'henna' (as written).

They deceived her with henna words

And exaggeration has a way of enticing.

And flattery is prone to temptation

استمالوها بالثناء غرورا

استمالوها بالثناء غرورا

والغواني يغرهن الثناء

والغواني يغرهن الثناء

They won her over with praise, deceiving her.

They seduced her with false praise

And beautiful women are beguiled by praise.

And the lovely ones are tempted by praise

ما تراها تناست اسمي لما

ما تراها تناست اسمي لما

ساقها للغواية الاطراء

ساقها للغواية الاطراء

What do you think—did she feign forgetting my name when

She did not forget my name when

Flattery led her astray?

Flattery led her to temptation

ما قلتني إذ أقللتني ولكن

ما قلتني إذ أقللتني ولكن

كثرت في غرامها الأسماء

كثرت في غرامها الأسماء

She did not hate me when she slighted me; rather,

I did not say little of her, but rather

Names had multiplied in her affections.

The names in her love grew many

إن رأتني تميل عني كأن لم

إن رأتني تميل عني كأن لم

تتناول حديثا الأنباء

تتناول حديثا الأنباء

If she sees me, she turns away from me, as though she had not

If she saw me, she would turn away as if

Received the news of late.

She had not heard the news at all

أي يوم في حبها ينقضي لم

أي يوم في حبها ينقضي لم

تك بيني وبينها أشياء

تك بيني وبينها أشياء

What day of loving her passes without

What day spent in her love goes by

Things happening between me and her?

Without some thing between us

نظرة فابتسامة فسلام

نظرة فابتسامة فسلام

فتخفي فهزة فانثناء

فتخفي فهزة فانثناء

A glance, then a smile, then a greeting;

A glance, then a smile, then a greeting

Then hiding, then a tremor, then a turn;

She hides, then nods, then turns away

فتخطي فوقفة فتدنّي

فتخطي فوقفة فتدنّي

فكلام فموعد فلقاء

فكلام فموعد فلقاء

Then a step, then a pause, then drawing near;

She walks on, then stops, comes nearer

Then words, then a tryst, then a meeting.

We talk, make a date, then meet

يوم كنا ولا تسل كيف كنا

يوم كنا ولا تسل كيف كنا

وكلانا في المهيعين سواء

وكلانا في المهيعين سواء

Back when we were—do not ask how we were—

The day we were, do not ask how we were

And both of us were alike on the two broad paths.

Both of us lost in passion's haze

يوم كنا ونحن فيه نشاوى

يوم كنا ونحن فيه نشاوى

نتهادى من الهوى ما نشاء

نتهادى من الهوى ما نشاء

Back when we were intoxicated,

The day we were, as we indulged

We gave each other whatever love we wished.

In love's desires as we wished

وعلينا من العفاف رقيب

وعلينا من العفاف رقيب

حببت لي من مثله الرقباء

حببت لي من مثله الرقباء

And over us stood a watcher of chastity;

While chastity's guardian watched over us

Watchers of his kind were made dear to me.

I loved the like of him as a counselor

حبها العذري لازم القلب حتى

حبها العذري لازم القلب حتى

تعبت في مراسه الأهواء

تعبت في مراسه الأهواء

Chaste love for her clung to the heart until

Her innocent love stayed in my heart until

The passions grew weary of wrestling with it.

I grew weary of passion's quirks

جاذبتني ثوب العصي وقالت

جاذبتني ثوب العصي وقالت

أتصابي ويلاه واستعصاء

أتصابي ويلاه واستعصاء

She tugged at my robe, defiant as I was, and said:

She pulled me into disobedience and said

“Coquetry, alas, and resistance?

"Do you disobey, oh shame and defiance?"

شعرك السحر حسبه الذوق مني

شعرك السحر حسبه الذوق مني

أنتم الناس أيها الشعراء

أنتم الناس أيها الشعراء

Your poetry is magic; my appreciation of it is enough.

Your poetry's magic, taste decrees

You are the people, O poets!

You poets are some people

فاتقوا الله في خداع العذارى

فاتقوا الله في خداع العذارى

ليس فيهن مريم العذراء

ليس فيهن مريم العذراء

So fear God in deceiving maidens;

So fear God in deceiving the chaste

None of them is Mary the Virgin.

Not in them is Mary the chaste

لا تصيدوا قلوبهن بشعر

لا تصيدوا قلوبهن بشعر

فالعذارى قلوبهن هواء

فالعذارى قلوبهن هواء

Do not snare their hearts with poetry,

Do not trap their hearts with verse

For maidens' hearts are air.”

For the chaste, their hearts are air