سألتُك ربّةَ الوجه النّضيرِ

سألتُك ربّةَ الوجه النّضيرِ

وذاتَ الدَّلِّ والطَّرْفِ السَّحورِ

وذاتَ الدَّلِّ والطَّرْفِ السَّحورِ

I beseech you, lady of the radiant face,

I asked the radiant-faced, charming-eyed maid,

And possessor of coy grace and a bewitching gaze:

With flirtatious glances and bewitching eyes,

صِلِي دَنِفاً ببذلِكُمُ مُعنّىً

صِلِي دَنِفاً ببذلِكُمُ مُعنّىً

وَيُقنِعهُ القَليلُ منَ الكثيرِ

وَيُقنِعهُ القَليلُ منَ الكثيرِ

With your generosity, give a tormented, lovesick man your affection;

Grant me intimacy through your generosity,

And a little out of much will satisfy him.

And let a little suffice from the abundant.

أَيحسُنُ صدُّكمْ وبكمْ حياتي

أَيحسُنُ صدُّكمْ وبكمْ حياتي

وأنْ أظما وعندكُمُ غديري

وأنْ أظما وعندكُمُ غديري

Is it right for you to turn away, when my life depends on you,

Does your aloofness please you, though it destroys my life?

And for me to thirst, when my pool is with you?

Shall I stay silent, while you are my only desire?

وَإِنّي أَستطيل إِذا هَجرتمْ

وَإِنّي أَستطيل إِذا هَجرتمْ

وسادي مدّةً اللّيلِ القصيرِ

وسادي مدّةً اللّيلِ القصيرِ

And indeed, when you forsake me, it seems long to me—

I become restless when you shun me,

My time upon the pillow through the brief night.

While nights seem so brief with you as my pillow.

وجأشُكمُ كما تهوون منِّي

وجأشُكمُ كما تهوون منِّي

وجأشي منكُم قلقُ الضّميرِ

وجأشي منكُم قلقُ الضّميرِ

And your heart toward me is as you wish,

You ache for me as I yearn for you,

And my heart, because of you, is restless within.

While my conscience is tormented in agony.

إذا لَم أَستَجِرْ بكُمُ فمن ذا

إذا لَم أَستَجِرْ بكُمُ فمن ذا

يَكون عَلى صَبابتكمْ مُجيري

يَكون عَلى صَبابتكمْ مُجيري

If I do not seek refuge with you, then who

If I cannot find refuge in you, who else

Will be my protector against my longing for you?

Can shelter me from your captivating ways?