ياO قابِضَcollector of المالِthe money الَّذيwho لَمnot تَزَلcease
يا قابِضَ المالِ الَّذي لَم تَزَل
عَينيmy eye إِلىtoward بَهجَتِهِhis splendor تَطمَحُyearns
عَيني إِلى بَهجَتِهِ تَطمَحُ
O money-collector, whose splendor
O hoarder of wealth, to which my eyes
My eye has never ceased to yearn for,
Have always aspired for delight
وَمَنand one who إِذاwhen جَرَّحَنيwounds me لَحظُهُhis glance
وَمَن إِذا جَرَّحَني لَحظُهُ
غَداgoes on بِلَحظِwith the sight of خَدِّهِhis cheek يَجرَحُwounds
غَدا بِلَحظِ خَدِّهِ يَجرَحُ
And you who, when your glance wounds me,
And he who wounds me with his glance
Go on to wound me with the sight of your cheek—
Can heal with the smile of his cheek
تَاللَهِby God لاnot أَنفَكُّI cease مُستَهتِراًbesotted
تَاللَهِ لا أَنفَكُّ مُستَهتِراً
فيكَwith you بِأَشعاريthrough my poems وَلاand not أَبرَحُI desist
فيكَ بِأَشعاري وَلا أَبرَحُ
By God, I shall never cease being besotted
By God, I won’t stop being playful
With you in my verses, nor shall I desist.
With my poems about you, I won’t quit
يَعذُبُtastes sweet ليto me الإِحماضُrisqué jesting فيabout قابِضٍa collector
يَعذُبُ لي الإِحماضُ في قابِضٍ
حُلوٍsweet إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle مَرَّhe passes يُستَملَحُis relished
حُلوٍ إِذا ما مَرَّ يُستَملَحُ
Saucy jesting about a collector tastes sweet to me,
Bitterness torments me for a sweet hoarder
A sweet one, relished whenever he passes.
Who is salted when he passes by