أخٌ لي بظهر الغيب أرعى ودادَه

أخٌ لي بظهر الغيب أرعى ودادَه

وظلَّ ربيعي حيث طاب لي المرعى

وظلَّ ربيعي حيث طاب لي المرعى

I have a brother whose love I cherish in his absence.

A brother of mine in the unseen uplands tends his love,

And he remained my springtime, where the pasture was sweet to me.

While my springtime stays where the pasture was sweet to me.

فيا لغزالٍ في الحشاشة يرتعي

فيا لغزالٍ في الحشاشة يرتعي

ويرعى ودادي يا رعى الله من يرعى

ويرعى ودادي يا رعى الله من يرعى

Oh, what a gazelle grazes in the core of my heart!

O, a gazelle grazing the thickets! He tends

And tends my love—oh, may God protect whoever tends it!

My love, O may God tend him who tends my love!

أهيم به في الحبّ وهو يهيم بي

أهيم به في الحبّ وهو يهيم بي

وقد كان لي عيناً كما كان لي سمعا

وقد كان لي عيناً كما كان لي سمعا

I am madly in love with him, and he is madly in love with me.

I wander with him lost in love, and he wanders lost with me,

And he has been my eye, just as he has been my hearing.

Once he was eyes for me, as he was ears.

وقد مازجت روحي على الحبّ روحه

وقد مازجت روحي على الحبّ روحه

فيا خيبة الواشي إذا رام أن يسعى

فيا خيبة الواشي إذا رام أن يسعى

And my soul has mingled with his soul in love.

My spirit mingled with his above love,

Oh, the talebearer's disappointment when he seeks to sow discord!

O disappointed spy if he seeks to spy!