تَدَّعي الشَوقَ إِن نَأَت

تَدَّعي الشَوقَ إِن نَأَت

وَتَجَنّى إِذا دَنَت

وَتَجَنّى إِذا دَنَت

She professes longing when she keeps away,

She claims longing if she is far away,

and acts cruelly when she draws near.

and makes groundless reproaches when she draws near.

واعَدَتنا وَأَخلَفَت

واعَدَتنا وَأَخلَفَت

فَأَساءَت وَأَحسَنَت

فَأَساءَت وَأَحسَنَت

She made us a promise, then broke it;

She promised us and broke her promise,

thus she did ill—and did well.

so she did ill and did good.

سَرَّني لَو صَبَرتُ عَن

سَرَّني لَو صَبَرتُ عَن

ها فَتُجزى بِما جَنَت

ها فَتُجزى بِما جَنَت

It would delight me if I could hold myself back from

It would please me if I could endure being without

her, so she might be repaid for what she has done.

her, so she might be repaid for her misdeeds.

إِنَّ سَلمى لَو اِتَّقَت

إِنَّ سَلمى لَو اِتَّقَت

رَبَّها فِيَّ أَنجَزَت

رَبَّها فِيَّ أَنجَزَت

Indeed, if Salma had feared

Indeed, if Salma feared

her Lord concerning me, she would have kept her word.

her Lord in her dealings with me, she would fulfill her promise.

زَرَعَت في الحَشا الهَوى

زَرَعَت في الحَشا الهَوى

وَسَقَتهُ حَتّى نَبَت

وَسَقَتهُ حَتّى نَبَت

She planted passion in the heart’s core

She planted love within my breast,

and watered it until it sprouted.

and watered it until it sprouted.