وَذاتِ غَدائِرٍ لا عَيبَ فيها

وَذاتِ غَدائِرٍ لا عَيبَ فيها

سِوى أَن لَيسَ تَصلُحُ لِلعِناقِ

سِوى أَن لَيسَ تَصلُحُ لِلعِناقِ

And one with braids, with no flaw in her,

With languid eyes that held no blemish

She of the braided tresses, in whom no fault is found,

except that she is not suited to an embrace.

Save they were not made for caressing

Save that she is not suited for an embrace.

أَمَرتَ بِأَن تُشالَ فَفارَقَتنا

أَمَرتَ بِأَن تُشالَ فَفارَقَتنا

وَما أَلِمَت لِحادِثَةِ الفِراقِ

وَما أَلِمَت لِحادِثَةِ الفِراقِ

You ordered her to be carried away, and she left us,

You ordered her taken away, and so she left us

You commanded she be raised, and so she parted from us,

and she felt no pain at the event of parting.

Though she felt no pain in that parting

Feeling no anguish at the moment of separation.

إِذا هَجَرَت فَعَن غَيرِ اِختِيارٍ

إِذا هَجَرَت فَعَن غَيرِ اِختِيارٍ

وَإِن زارَت فَعَن غَيرِ اِشتِياقِ

وَإِن زارَت فَعَن غَيرِ اِشتِياقِ

When she forsakes, it is not by choice,

If she is absent, it is not by her choice

If she abandons, it is through no choice of hers,

and if she visits, it is not out of longing.

And if she visits, it is not out of longing

And if she visits, it is born of no desire.