وَمُهَفهَفٍ حَسَنِ الشَمائِل أَهيَفِ

وَمُهَفهَفٍ حَسَنِ الشَمائِل أَهيَفِ

تُردى النُفوسُ بِفترتَي عَينَيهِ

تُردى النُفوسُ بِفترتَي عَينَيهِ

And a slender youth, lovely in bearing, slim-waisted—

With a gentle swaying gait so fair

souls are slain by the languor of his eyes.

Hearts melt under his charming stare

ما زالَ يبعدني وَيُؤثر هِجرَتي

ما زالَ يبعدني وَيُؤثر هِجرَتي

فَجَذبتُ قَلبي من أَسار يَدَيهِ

فَجَذبتُ قَلبي من أَسار يَدَيهِ

He kept driving me away and preferred to forsake me,

Though he keeps his distance, preferring we part

so I wrested my heart from the bondage of his hands.

I’ve pulled my heart from his hands’ snare

قالوا تُراجِعُهُ فَقُلتُ بديهةً

قالوا تُراجِعُهُ فَقُلتُ بديهةً

قَولاً أُقيم مَعَ الرويِّ عَلَيهِ

قَولاً أُقيم مَعَ الرويِّ عَلَيهِ

They said, “You'll return to him.” I replied at once,

They say, go back to him, but I aptly declared

a statement I stand by even upon reflection:

In verse matching the meter, and to him made clear

وَاللَهِ لا راجَعتُهُ وَلَو اِنَّهُ

وَاللَهِ لا راجَعتُهُ وَلَو اِنَّهُ

كَالشَمسِ أَو كَالبَدرِ أَو كَبوَيهِ

كَالشَمسِ أَو كَالبَدرِ أَو كَبوَيهِ

“By God, I will not return to him, even if he were

By God, I'll not go back, even if he

like the sun, or like the full moon, or like Buwayh.”

Were the sun, the moon, or Libra so dear