نَفسي الفِداء لِمَن حَوَت

نَفسي الفِداء لِمَن حَوَت

أَبهى الجَمال الأَنفسِ

أَبهى الجَمال الأَنفسِ

My soul be ransom for her who possesses

My soul I'd sacrifice for she

the fairest, most precious beauty.

Of beauty most sublime,

خَطَرت فَلاحَ الغُصن لي

خَطَرت فَلاحَ الغُصن لي

مُتَمايلاً في سُندُسِ

مُتَمايلاً في سُندُسِ

She walked gracefully, and a bough appeared to me,

She swayed, and blossomed the branch

swaying in fine silk.

In gracefully motions of time.

فَسَأَلتُها عَن اِسمِها الس

فَسَأَلتُها عَن اِسمِها الس

سامي وَلَم أَكُ بِالمسي

سامي وَلَم أَكُ بِالمسي

So I asked her about her name—the

Her noble name I asked to know,

lofty one—and I was not at fault.

But she left me in mystery.

حَتّى إِذا غَضبت وَقَد

حَتّى إِذا غَضبت وَقَد

نَفَرت كَخَشفٍ أَلعَسِ

نَفَرت كَخَشفٍ أَلعَسِ

At last, when she grew angry and had

When angered, she shied away

shied away like a dark-lipped fawn,

Like a startled fawn so free.

أَلقَت إِلَيَّ صَحيفة

أَلقَت إِلَيَّ صَحيفة

كَصَحيفة المتلمّسِ

كَصَحيفة المتلمّسِ

she tossed a letter to me,

A scroll she tossed my way

like the letter of al-Mutalammis.

Like a secret missive.

وَإِذا بِها أَحجيّة

وَإِذا بِها أَحجيّة

هِيَ منيةُ المُستَأنِسِ

هِيَ منيةُ المُستَأنِسِ

And behold, within it was a riddle—

With a riddle encrypted,

the doom of one who feels secure.

To charm her captive.

فَفَضضت مِسك خِتامها

فَفَضضت مِسك خِتامها

بِحُضور أَهل المَجلسِ

بِحُضور أَهل المَجلسِ

So I broke open its seal of musk,

I broke its seal of musk

in the presence of those at the gathering.

Before guests in session.

وَدَعَوتُهُم يا سادَةً

وَدَعَوتُهُم يا سادَةً

سادوا بِحُسن تَفرّسِ

سادوا بِحُسن تَفرّسِ

And I called to them: O masters,

"O lords" I called them

who rose to eminence through keen discernment,

Of insight and discretion.

ما مِثل قَول حَبيبَتي

ما مِثل قَول حَبيبَتي

اِطلب حَياة الأَنفُسِ

اِطلب حَياة الأَنفُسِ

what matches my beloved’s words:

"No words like those of my darling:

‘Seek the life of souls’?

Seek life for your soul" she did preach.