خَليلَيَّmy two friends لاno عُذرٌexcuse عَلىaccording to مَذهَبِthe creed of الهَوىlove
خَليلَيَّ لا عُذرٌ عَلى مَذهَبِ الهَوى
لِمَنfor whoever لَمَنapparently intended as لَم: did not يَمُتdie وَجداًfrom longing إِذاwhen بانَdeparted واحِدَهhis one and only
لِمَن لَمَن يَمُت وَجداً إِذا بانَ واحِدَه
My two friends, by love’s creed there is no excuse
For one who does not die of longing when his one and only departs.
وَلاand not سِيَّماespecially (with preceding لا) مَنone who كانَwas راحىmy wine رُضابَهُhis saliva
وَلا سِيَّما مَن كانَ راحى رُضابَهُ
وَنُقليand my morsels ثَناياهُhis teeth وَزَهريand my flowers مَجاسِدَهhis dyed garments
وَنُقلي ثَناياهُ وَزَهري مَجاسِدَه
Especially one whose saliva was my wine,
And whose teeth were my morsels, whose dyed robes my flowers.
غَزالٌa gazelle إِذاwhen ماan emphatic particle هَزَّswayed عَطفَيهِhis two flanks وَاِنثَنىand bent
غَزالٌ إِذا ما هَزَّ عَطفَيهِ وَاِنثَنى
تَغَنَّتsang بِأَلحانِwith the melodies of الحِلِيِّjewelry قَلائِدَهhis necklaces
تَغَنَّت بِأَلحانِ الحِلِيِّ قَلائِدَه
A gazelle—whenever he swayed his flanks and bent,
His necklaces sang with the melodies of jewelry.
فَياso, oh لَيتَwould that أَنّيthat I مِتُّI died قَبلَbefore فُراقِهِparting from him
فَيا لَيتَ أَنّي مِتُّ قَبلَ فُراقِهِ
وَإِنand although كانَwas مَوتيmy death دونَless than ماwhat أَناI واجِدَهexperiencing it
وَإِن كانَ مَوتي دونَ ما أَنا واجِدَه
Ah, if only I had died before parting from him,
Though my death would be less than what I endure.