أقول لها لمّا اِلتقينا على مِنىً

أقول لها لمّا اِلتقينا على مِنىً

وأبرزها ذلك الخمارُ المُصبَّغُ

وأبرزها ذلك الخمارُ المُصبَّغُ

I say to her, when we met at Mina,

When we met at Mina, I said to her,

And that dyed veil brought her into view,

As she displayed that dyed veil,

وأبدَتْ صدوداً لم يكن عادةً لها

وأبدَتْ صدوداً لم يكن عادةً لها

وقد يتجنّى في الهوَى المتمرّغُ

وقد يتجنّى في الهوَى المتمرّغُ

And she showed an aversion that was not her custom:

And showed aversion, untypical of her,

One who wallows in love may find fault unjustly.

While passion writhes steeped in love.

لقد خان مَن أدّى المحالَ إليكُمُ

لقد خان مَن أدّى المحالَ إليكُمُ

ومان علينا في المقال المبلِّغُ

ومان علينا في المقال المبلِّغُ

Surely, he who conveyed falsehood to you acted treacherously,

Betrayed us, he who conveyed to you,

And the messenger lied against us in his speech.

Forbidden words, the talebearer.

شُغلنا وأنتمْ فارغون ولم يَعُجْ

شُغلنا وأنتمْ فارغون ولم يَعُجْ

على ذي اِشتغالٍ دَهرَه المتفرّغُ

على ذي اِشتغالٍ دَهرَه المتفرّغُ

We were preoccupied, while you were carefree; never did

While we were busy, and you at leisure,

One at leisure, in all his life, turn toward one engrossed.

No rebuke for one with time to spare.

كأنِّيَ أشكو الحبَّ شكوى مُجَمْجِمٍ

كأنِّيَ أشكو الحبَّ شكوى مُجَمْجِمٍ

فتىً ضلَّ عن وادي البلاغة ألْثَغُ

فتىً ضلَّ عن وادي البلاغة ألْثَغُ

It is as though I lament love with the lament of one who mumbles—

As though I complained of love, like one demented,

A lisping youth who strayed from the valley of eloquence.

A youth gone astray from eloquence, tongue-tied.