يا غُنمُ رُدّي فُؤادَ الهائِمِ الكَمِدِ

يا غُنمُ رُدّي فُؤادَ الهائِمِ الكَمِدِ

مِن قَبلِ أَن تُطلَبي بِالعَقلِ وَالقَوَدِ

مِن قَبلِ أَن تُطلَبي بِالعَقلِ وَالقَوَدِ

O Ghunm, return the heart of the distraught, grieving lover,

O flock, return the heart of the lovelorn pine

Before you are pursued for blood money and retribution.

Before you're sought with reason and punishment

تَيَّمتِني بِدَلالٍ مِنكِ يَقتُلُني

تَيَّمتِني بِدَلالٍ مِنكِ يَقتُلُني

وَقَد رَمَيتِ فَما أَخطَأتِ عَن كَبِدي

وَقَد رَمَيتِ فَما أَخطَأتِ عَن كَبِدي

You have enslaved me with a coy charm of yours that kills me;

You've rendered me lovesick with your coquetry that kills

And you have shot, and did not miss my liver.

And though you shot, you aimed true at my liver

إِن تَقتُليني كَذا ظُلُماً بِلا تِرَةٍ

إِن تَقتُليني كَذا ظُلُماً بِلا تِرَةٍ

فَلَستِ فائِتَةٍ قَومي بَني أَسَدِ

فَلَستِ فائِتَةٍ قَومي بَني أَسَدِ

If you kill me thus, unjustly, with no wrong to avenge,

If you kill me thus wrongfully without aim

Then you will not escape my people, Banu Asad.

You'll not evade my people, the clan of Asad

أَمّا الفُؤادُ فَشَيءً قَد ذَهَبتِ بِهِ

أَمّا الفُؤادُ فَشَيءً قَد ذَهَبتِ بِهِ

فَما يَضُرُّكِ أَلا تُسقِمي جَسَدي

فَما يَضُرُّكِ أَلا تُسقِمي جَسَدي

As for the heart, it is something you have already carried off;

As for my heart, it's something you've taken

So what harm would it do you not to sicken my body?

No harm that you don't make my body sick

أَنتِ الهَوى وَمُنى نَفسي وَمُتعَتُها

أَنتِ الهَوى وَمُنى نَفسي وَمُتعَتُها

أَقولُ ذاكَ وَلا أُخفيهِ عَن أَحَدِ

أَقولُ ذاكَ وَلا أُخفيهِ عَن أَحَدِ

You are love, my soul's desires, and its delight;

You're my passion, my soul's joy and pleasure

I say that, and do not hide it from anyone.

I say this openly, hiding it from none

نِلتِ الجَمالَ وَدَلّاً رائِعاً حَسَناً

نِلتِ الجَمالَ وَدَلّاً رائِعاً حَسَناً

فَما تُسَمَّينَ إِلّا ظَبيَةَ البَلَدِ

فَما تُسَمَّينَ إِلّا ظَبيَةَ البَلَدِ

You have attained beauty and a captivating, lovely coy charm;

You've gained beauty and guide, lovely and fair

So you are called none other than the town's gazelle.

You're called none but the gazelle of this land

وَأَنتِ طَيِّبَةٌ في القَيظِ بارِدَةٌ

وَأَنتِ طَيِّبَةٌ في القَيظِ بارِدَةٌ

وَفي الشِتاءِ سَخونٌ لَيلَةَ الصَرَدِ

وَفي الشِتاءِ سَخونٌ لَيلَةَ الصَرَدِ

And you are pleasant and cool in the summer heat,

You're sweet in summer, cool,

And in winter, warm on a night of bitter cold.

And in winter, a hot night with sleet

تَسقي الضَجيعَ رُضاباً مِن مُقَبَّلِها

تَسقي الضَجيعَ رُضاباً مِن مُقَبَّلِها

مِن بارِدٍ واضِحِ الأَنيابِ كَالبَرَدِ

مِن بارِدٍ واضِحِ الأَنيابِ كَالبَرَدِ

She gives her bedfellow sweet saliva to drink from her lips,

You give to the slumbering sips from your kiss

From a cool mouth, with canine teeth gleaming like hailstones.

Of icy water, sharp teeth like hail

يا لَيتَني قَبلَ مَوتي قَد خَلَوتُ بِها

يا لَيتَني قَبلَ مَوتي قَد خَلَوتُ بِها

عَلى الحَشِيَّةِ بَينَ السَجفِ والنَضَدِ

عَلى الحَشِيَّةِ بَينَ السَجفِ والنَضَدِ

Oh, if only I could be alone with her before I die,

Oh would that before my death I were alone with her

On the mattress, between the curtain and the stacked furnishings,

On the carpet between pillow and headrest

قَد وَسَّدَتني اليَد اليُمنى وَبارقَها

قَد وَسَّدَتني اليَد اليُمنى وَبارقَها

وَدُملُجُ العَضُدِ اليُسرى عَلى عَضُدي

وَدُملُجُ العَضُدِ اليُسرى عَلى عَضُدي

She having made her right hand, with its gleaming ornament, my pillow,

She's filled me, her right hand and its lightning

And the armlet on her left upper arm lying on my upper arm.

And shining left arm over my arm

في كُلِّ يَومٍ لَنا إِلماحَةٌ بِكُمُ

في كُلِّ يَومٍ لَنا إِلماحَةٌ بِكُمُ

وَلَيتَ داركِ مِن داري عَلى صَدَدِ

وَلَيتَ داركِ مِن داري عَلى صَدَدِ

Every day we catch a glimpse of you,

Each day we exchange glances, you and I

And would that your house were opposite mine.

Would your abode were near mine, accessible