عَلِقَfell for النَوارَal-Nawār فُؤادُهُhis heart جَهلاًfoolishly
عَلِقَ النَوارَ فُؤادُهُ جَهلاً
وَصَباand became infatuated فَلَمso did not تَترُكshe leaves لَهُfor him عَقلاreason
وَصَبا فَلَم تَترُك لَهُ عَقلا
His heart foolishly fell for al-Nawār,
His heart was infatuated with her ignorantly,
And grew infatuated; she left him no reason.
And it was smitten with love, leaving no room for reason.
وَتَعَرَّضَتand she showed herself ليto me فيduring المَسيرِthe journey فَماso not
وَتَعَرَّضَت لي في المَسيرِ فَما
أَمسىcame to be الفُؤادُthe heart يَرىsees لَهاto her شَكلاan equal
أَمسى الفُؤادُ يَرى لَها شَكلا
And she showed herself to me on the journey; no longer
She passed by me on the road, but the heart
Could my heart see anyone her equal.
Did not retain her image by the end of the day.
ماno ظَبيَةٌa female gazelle مِنamong وَحشِthe wild creatures of ذيDhū بَقَرٍBaqar
ما ظَبيَةٌ مِن وَحشِ ذي بَقَرٍ
تَغذوfeeds بِسِقطِat the edge of صَريمَةٍa dune طِفلاa fawn
تَغذو بِسِقطِ صَريمَةٍ طِفلا
No gazelle among the wild creatures of Dhū Baqar,
No doe feeding on the fallen fruits
Feeding a fawn at the edge of a dune,
Of a date-palm is sweeter than her words:
بِأَلَذَّmore delightful مِنهاthan her إِذwhen تَقولُshe says لَناto us
بِأَلَذَّ مِنها إِذ تَقولُ لَنا
وَأَرَدتُand I wished كَشفَlifting قِناعِهاher veil مَهلاwait!
وَأَرَدتُ كَشفَ قِناعِها مَهلا
Is more delightful than she when she says to us—
"Let us be, for you cannot reward with favors,
As I sought to lift her veil—'Wait!
Nor can you connect a rope that is unraveled."
دَعناleave us فِإِنَّكَfor you لاnot مُكارَمَةًa kindness
دَعنا فِإِنَّكَ لا مُكارَمَةً
تَجزيyou repay وَلَستَand you are not بِواصِلٍone who keeps connected حَبلاa cord
تَجزي وَلَستَ بِواصِلٍ حَبلا
Leave us, for no kindness
And you have to endure the agony of a heart
Do you repay, nor do you keep a cord intact.
That makes remembrance of you a preoccupation.
وَعَلَيكَand upon you مِنfrom تَبلِlovesickness الفُؤادِthe heart وَإِنeven if
وَعَلَيكَ مِن تَبلِ الفُؤادِ وَإِن
أَمسىbecame لِقَلبِكَfor your heart ذِكرُهُremembering it شُغلاa preoccupation
أَمسى لِقَلبِكَ ذِكرُهُ شُغلا
And the heart's lovesickness is yours to bear, even if
So I responded: "The lover is obligated,
Its remembrance has become your heart's preoccupation.'
So spare me your reproach and renew the gift."
فَأَجَبتُهاso I answered her إِنَّindeed المُحِبَّthe lover مُكَلَّفٌburdened
فَأَجَبتُها إِنَّ المُحِبَّ مُكَلَّفٌ
فَذَريso leave off العِتابَreproach وَأَحدِثيand bring forth بَذلاgenerosity
فَذَري العِتابَ وَأَحدِثي بَذلا
So I answered her: 'The lover is burdened;
So leave off reproach, and show generosity.'
Partial English translation: 12 of 14 Arabic lines translated.