وَما ظَبيَةٌ مِن ظِباءِ الأَرا

وَما ظَبيَةٌ مِن ظِباءِ الأَرا

كِ تَقرو دِمَثَ الرُبى عاشِبا

كِ تَقرو دِمَثَ الرُبى عاشِبا

And no gazelle among the gazelles of the arak trees,

No doe in the wilderness nurtures her fawn

Seeking the soft, grassy ground of the hills,

With finer milk than she shows at daybreak

بِأَحسَنَ مِنها غَداةَ الغَميمِ

بِأَحسَنَ مِنها غَداةَ الغَميمِ

إِذا أَبدَتِ الخَدَّ وَالحاجِبا

إِذا أَبدَتِ الخَدَّ وَالحاجِبا

Is fairer than she on the morning at al-Ghamim,

When her cheek and eyebrow appear.

When she revealed her cheek and brow.

One day she said to her servant,

غَداةَ تَقولُ عَلى رِقبَةٍ

غَداةَ تَقولُ عَلى رِقبَةٍ

لِخادِمِها إِحبِسي الراكِبا

لِخادِمِها إِحبِسي الراكِبا

That morning she said, on her guard,

"Stop the rider!"

To her maid, "Detain the rider."

So her companion said, "Why so gloomy

فَقالَت لَها فيمَ هَذا الكَلا

فَقالَت لَها فيمَ هَذا الكَلا

مُ في وَجهِها عابِساً قاطِبا

مُ في وَجهِها عابِساً قاطِبا

Then she said to her, "Why this talk?"

And frown-faced?"

Frowning and knitting her brows as she faced her.

She replied, "A nobleman came visiting

فَقالَت كَريمٌ أَتى زائِراً

فَقالَت كَريمٌ أَتى زائِراً

يَمُرُّ بِنا هَكَذا جانِبا

يَمُرُّ بِنا هَكَذا جانِبا

She replied, "A noble man has come to visit,

And passed us by."

Passing by us like this, keeping his distance.

A stranger came to our abode as guest

غَريبٌ أَتى رَبعَنا زائِراً

غَريبٌ أَتى رَبعَنا زائِراً

فَأَكرَهُ رَجعَتَهُ خائِبا

فَأَكرَهُ رَجعَتَهُ خائِبا

A stranger has come to visit our dwelling,

And I regret his leaving unsuccessful.

So I would hate him to return disappointed."

For love of you I've loved one who was not

لِحُبِّكِ أَحبَبتُ مَن لَم يَكُن

لِحُبِّكِ أَحبَبتُ مَن لَم يَكُن

صَفيّاً لِنَفسي وَلا صاحِبا

صَفيّاً لِنَفسي وَلا صاحِبا

For love of you, I have loved one who was not

My soulmate or boon companion.

A close friend of mine, nor a companion.

And I spend my money to please you all,

وَأَبذِلُ مالي لِمَرضاتِكُم

وَأَبذِلُ مالي لِمَرضاتِكُم

وَأُعتِبُ مَن جاءَني عاتِبا

وَأُعتِبُ مَن جاءَني عاتِبا

And I give my wealth freely to win your favor,

Reproaching whoever finds fault with me.

And I appease whoever comes to me reproachful.

I seek the love of those I never sought

وَأَرغَبُ في وُدِّ مَن لَم أَكُن

وَأَرغَبُ في وُدِّ مَن لَم أَكُن

إِلى وُدِّهِ قَبلِكُم راغِبا

إِلى وُدِّهِ قَبلِكُم راغِبا

And I desire the affection of one whose affection I had not

Before your love to covet and desire.

Desired before you.

If people should take one side of the earth

وَلَو سَلَكَ الناسُ في جانِبٍ

وَلَو سَلَكَ الناسُ في جانِبٍ

مِنَ الأَرضِ وَاِعتَزَلَت جانِبا

مِنَ الأَرضِ وَاِعتَزَلَت جانِبا

And even if the people went to one side

And settle, and the other side stay vacant,

Of the earth, while she withdrew to a side apart,

I would follow their ruins, for I see

لَأَتبَعتُ طِيَّتَها إِنَّني

لَأَتبَعتُ طِيَّتَها إِنَّني

أَرى قُربَها العَجَبَ العاجِبا

أَرى قُربَها العَجَبَ العاجِبا

I would surely follow her course; indeed, I

Being near them is a marvelous marvel.

See nearness to her as a wondrous marvel.