وَذَكَّرَني مَن لا أَبوحُ بِذِكرِهِ

وَذَكَّرَني مَن لا أَبوحُ بِذِكرِهِ

مُحاجِرُ خِشفٍ في حَبائِلِ قانِصِ

مُحاجِرُ خِشفٍ في حَبائِلِ قانِصِ

And I was reminded of the one whose name I do not disclose

And he reminded me of one I dare not mention his name

by the eyes of a gazelle fawn in a hunter's snares.

The cheeks of a fawn tangled in the ropes of a hunter

فَقُلتُ وَدَمعُ العَينِ يَجري بِحُرقَةٍ

فَقُلتُ وَدَمعُ العَينِ يَجري بِحُرقَةٍ

وَلَحظي إِلى عَينَيهِ لَحظَةُ شاخِصِ

وَلَحظي إِلى عَينَيهِ لَحظَةُ شاخِصِ

So I said, as tears flowed from my eyes in burning anguish,

So I said, as tears flowed down my cheeks in agony

and I gazed into its eyes with a fixed stare:

And my eyes glanced at his eyes for an instant

أَلا أَيُّهَذا القانِصُ الخِشفَ حَلِّهِ

أَلا أَيُّهَذا القانِصُ الخِشفَ حَلِّهِ

وَإِن كُنتَ تَأباهُ فَخُذ بِقَلائِصي

وَإِن كُنتَ تَأباهُ فَخُذ بِقَلائِصي

Listen, you hunter—set the fawn free!

Oh hunter, untie this fawn though you refuse

And if you refuse, take my young she-camels in exchange.

And take my necklaces instead

خَفِ اللَهَ لا تَقتُلهُ إِنَّ شَبيهَهُ

خَفِ اللَهَ لا تَقتُلهُ إِنَّ شَبيهَهُ

حَياتي وَقَد أَرعَدتَ مِنّي فَرائِصي

حَياتي وَقَد أَرعَدتَ مِنّي فَرائِصي

Fear God; do not kill it, for the one who resembles it

Fear God, do not kill him, his like

is my life, and you have made my flanks tremble.

Is my life, though you shivered from my necklaces