قَدindeed قُلتُI said لِلعاذِلِto the reproacher فيconcerning حُبِّlove of مَنone who
قَد قُلتُ لِلعاذِلِ في حُبِّ مَن
لَيسَthere is not عَلىupon عاشِقِهِhis lover مِنany جُناحblame
لَيسَ عَلى عاشِقِهِ مِن جُناح
I said to the man who reproached me for loving one
Whose lover bears no blame:
اِنظُرlook إِلَيهِat him وَالحَنيand blame me بَعدَهاafter that
اِنظُر إِلَيهِ وَالحَني بَعدَها
إِنif كُنتُI am أَستَأهِلُI deserve ياO شَرَّworst لاحreproacher
إِن كُنتُ أَستَأهِلُ يا شَرَّ لاح
“Look at him, and blame me afterward,
If I deserve it, O worst of reproachers!”
فَنَحنُso we فيin نَفسِthe very midst الَّذيwhat بَينَناis between us
فَنَحنُ في نَفسِ الَّذي بَينَنا
حَتّىuntil رَآهُhe saw him مُقبِلاًapproaching كَالصَباحlike the dawn
حَتّى رَآهُ مُقبِلاً كَالصَباح
So we were still in the midst of our exchange,
Until he saw him approaching like the dawn.
فَقالَthen he said ماnot قَصَّرتَyou fell short فيin عِشقِهِloving him
فَقالَ ما قَصَّرتَ في عِشقِهِ
ياO أَحذَقَmost skilled الناسِpeople بِعِشقِin loving المِلاحthe beautiful ones
يا أَحذَقَ الناسِ بِعِشقِ المِلاح
Then he said, “You have not fallen short in loving him,
O most skilled of men in loving the fair!”