وخليلٍ ضممتهُ فتأبى

وخليلٍ ضممتهُ فتأبى

وانثنى نافراً كظبيِ الصريمِ

وانثنى نافراً كظبيِ الصريمِ

I embraced a beloved, but he resisted,

With a friend whom I drew near, but he recoiled

And turned away, startled, like a gazelle of the thicket.

And turned away like a shy mountain goat

قالَ نارُ الخليلِ في القلبِ شبَّتْ

قالَ نارُ الخليلِ في القلبِ شبَّتْ

قلتُ أقبلْ فتلكَ نارُ الكليمِ

قلتُ أقبلْ فتلكَ نارُ الكليمِ

He said, “Abraham's fire has blazed in my heart.”

I said: In my heart burns the fire of a friend

I said, “Come closer, for that is Moses' fire.”

He said: Come close, for that is the fire of the Sublime