وَلَولا اِن يُقال صبا نُصيبُ

وَلَولا اِن يُقال صبا نُصيبُ

لَقُلتُ بِنَفسي النَشأ الصِغار

لَقُلتُ بِنَفسي النَشأ الصِغار

And were it not that people would say, 'Nusayb has fallen in love,'

And were it not for fear it would be said, "He is love smitten in youth,"

I would say, 'My life for the young girls!'

I would have said to myself when still a child:

أَلا يا لَيتَني قامَرتُ عَنها

أَلا يا لَيتَني قامَرتُ عَنها

وَكانَ يحل لِلنّاسِ القِمار

وَكانَ يحل لِلنّاسِ القِمار

Oh, if only I could gamble for her,

"Oh, would that I had gambled it away from her!

and gambling were lawful for people,

If only gambling were lawful for people!"

فَصارَت في يَدي وَقمرت مالي

فَصارَت في يَدي وَقمرت مالي

وَذاكَ الرِبح لَو عَلِم التِجار

وَذاكَ الرِبح لَو عَلِم التِجار

so she would become mine, and I would lose my wealth—

So it would have belonged to me and I would have kept my fortune,

that would be profit, if the merchants only knew!

a profit - if only merchants knew! -

عَلى الاِعراض مِنها وَالتَواني

عَلى الاِعراض مِنها وَالتَواني

فَاِن وَعدت فَمَوعِدِها ضَمار

فَاِن وَعدت فَمَوعِدِها ضَمار

Despite her aloofness and delay;

From holding myself back and hesitating about her.

for if she promises, her promise is not to be counted on.

For if you make a promise, fulfilling it leads only to regret.

بِنَفسي كُل مَهضوم حَشاها

بِنَفسي كُل مَهضوم حَشاها

إِذا قَهَرت فَلَيسَ لَها اِنتِصار

إِذا قَهَرت فَلَيسَ لَها اِنتِصار

My life for every slender-waisted woman

I swear by my life, every debased coward who desire her,

who, when overpowered, has no means of defending herself.

if he subdues her, has no power to defend himself.

إِذا ما الزل ضاعَفن الحَشايا

إِذا ما الزل ضاعَفن الحَشايا

كَفاها اِن يَلاث بها اِزار

كَفاها اِن يَلاث بها اِزار

When thin-hipped women double their padding,

When slippery paths double the cowards,

she needs only a waist-wrap wound around her.

it is enough for her that a flimsy lower garment clothes her!

وَلَو رَأَت الفَراشَةُ طار مِنها

وَلَو رَأَت الفَراشَةُ طار مِنها

مَعَ الاِرواحِ روح مُستَطار

مَعَ الاِرواحِ روح مُستَطار

And if she saw a butterfly, from her would fly

If a moth saw her, it would fly away with the spirits -

with the winds, a panic-stricken soul.

a startled soul!