بُليتُI was afflicted بِمَعسولby one with honey-sweet المَراشفlips وَاللَمىand the lips’ dusky hue
بُليتُ بِمَعسول المَراشف وَاللَمى
غَزالٌa gazelle بِقَتليconcerning my killing فيin هَواهlove for him تَحكّماruled at will
غَزالٌ بِقَتلي في هَواه تَحكّما
I am afflicted by one with honey-sweet, dusky lips.
A gazelle who decreed my death for loving him.
دَعاhe called لِلهَوىto love قَلبيmy heart فلبّاهso it answered him مُغرَماenamored
دَعا لِلهَوى قَلبي فلبّاه مُغرَما
فَلَمّاand when رآنيthey saw me العاذِلونthe reproachers مُتَيَّماenslaved by love
فَلَمّا رآني العاذِلون مُتَيَّما
He called my heart to love, and it answered him, enamored.
And when the reproachers saw me enslaved by love,
كَئيباًdespondent بِمَنover the one whom أَهوىI love وَعَقليand my reason ذاهِبُgone
كَئيباً بِمَن أَهوى وَعَقلي ذاهِبُ
غَداbecame عاذريone who excuses me فيin الحُبّlove مَنwhoever كانَhad been عاذِلاًa reproacher
غَدا عاذري في الحُبّ مَن كانَ عاذِلاً
Despondent over the one I love, with my reason gone,
Those who had reproached me became my defenders in love.
وَمشكلand the perplexity of أَمريmy state أَوهمَmade seem الحَقّthe truth باطِلاfalse
وَمشكل أَمري أَوهمَ الحَقّ باطِلا
وَمُذand when أَبصَرونيthey saw me عَنof رَشاديmy sound judgment ذاهِلاًheedless
وَمُذ أَبصَروني عَن رَشادي ذاهِلاً
And my perplexing state made truth seem false.
And when they saw me heedless of my sound judgment,
رَثواthey felt pity ليfor me وَقالواand they said كُنتyou were بِالأَمسyesterday عاقِلاsane
رَثوا لي وَقالوا كُنت بِالأَمس عاقِلا
أَصابَتكَhas struck you عَينٌan evil eye قُلتُI said عَينٌan eye وَحاجِبُand an eyebrow
أَصابَتكَ عَينٌ قُلتُ عَينٌ وَحاجِبُ
They pitied me and said, 'Yesterday you were sane;
An evil eye has struck you!' I said, 'An eye—and an eyebrow!'