ضَنّتْ عليك ضنينةُ الخِدْرِ

ضَنّتْ عليك ضنينةُ الخِدْرِ

يومَ الوداع بطلعة البدرِ

يومَ الوداع بطلعة البدرِ

The chamber's cherished maiden withheld from you

The parting on the day of farewell at dawn's first light

On the day of farewell, her full-moon face.

Grieved for you, with a heartfelt sorrow.

ووشى إليك بوَشْكِ فُرقتِها

ووشى إليك بوَشْكِ فُرقتِها

صوتُ الغراب وأنتَ لا تدري

صوتُ الغراب وأنتَ لا تدري

And her imminent departure was betrayed to you

The raven's cry conveyed to you her agonizing separation,

By the raven's cry, though you did not know.

Yet you remained unknowing.

فذُهِلتُ لولا نظرةٌ عرضتْ

فذُهِلتُ لولا نظرةٌ عرضتْ

وَوَجَمْتُ لولا دمعةٌ تجري

وَوَجَمْتُ لولا دمعةٌ تجري

So I would have been dazed, but for a passing glance,

I was stunned - had it not been for a glance that passed by,

And struck dumb, but for a flowing tear.

And I would have been silent - had it not been for a falling tear.

وكأنّنِي لمّا وطأتُ على

وكأنّنِي لمّا وطأتُ على

حرّ النّوى أمشي على جمرِ

حرّ النّوى أمشي على جمرِ

And it was as though, when I trod upon

It was as if, when I tread the burning embers of passion,

The heat of separation, I walked on embers.

I walked on fiery coals.

ومخضّب الأطراف ماطَلَنِي

ومخضّب الأطراف ماطَلَنِي

بوصالهِ عَصْراً إلى عَصْرِ

بوصالهِ عَصْراً إلى عَصْرِ

And one with dyed fingertips kept me waiting

My limbs bloodstained, from his union at dusk to dusk,

For union with him, time after time,

Until his beauty adorned me, after estrangement, like the ruby hue of wine.

حَتّى أَزارتنِي محاسنُهُ

حَتّى أَزارتنِي محاسنُهُ

بعد الهدوّ سُلافَةَ الخمرِ

بعد الهدوّ سُلافَةَ الخمرِ

Until his charms brought to me,

Never did I think that I would be forever

After all grew still, the choicest wine.

Sweetened by the honey of love.

ما كان عندي أنّنِي أبداً

ما كان عندي أنّنِي أبداً

مُتَخمِّلٌ مَنّاً مِن السُّكرِ

مُتَخمِّلٌ مَنّاً مِن السُّكرِ

It never occurred to me that I would ever

It was as if the virtue of our blessed seclusion

Be beholden to intoxication for a favor.

Was that meeting openly exposed.

وكأنّما لعفافِ خَلْوَتِنا

وكأنّما لعفافِ خَلْوَتِنا

ذاك التّلاقي كان في الجهرِ

ذاك التّلاقي كان في الجهرِ

And because our seclusion was chaste, it was as though

No doubts nor approach, nor kisses on the lips -

That meeting had taken place in public.

For to draw near one who fears the consequences

لا رِيبةٌ في كلّ ذاك ولا

لا رِيبةٌ في كلّ ذاك ولا

قُرْبٌ ولا قُبَلٌ على ثَغْرِ

قُرْبٌ ولا قُبَلٌ على ثَغْرِ

There was no suspicion in all of that, and no

Is like coals: the kiss like separation, the union like estrangement.

Closeness, nor kisses upon the lips.

والقربُ من خاشٍ عواقبَهُ

والقربُ من خاشٍ عواقبَهُ

مِثل النَّوى والوصل كالهجرِ

مِثل النَّوى والوصل كالهجرِ

And nearness to one who fears its consequences

Is like separation, and union like estrangement.