ذَكَرَ القَلبُ ذُكرَةً

ذَكَرَ القَلبُ ذُكرَةً

مِن نِساءٍ غَرائِبِ

مِن نِساءٍ غَرائِبِ

The heart recalled a memory

The heart recalled a memory

of unfamiliar women,

Of exotic women,

خُدَلِ السوقِ رُجَّحٍ

خُدَلِ السوقِ رُجَّحٍ

ناعِماتِ الحَقائِبِ

ناعِماتِ الحَقائِبِ

plump of shank and heavy-hipped,

Graceful with their purses,

with soft haunches.

In the alleys of the market.

رُبَّ لَهوٍ لَهَوتُهُ

رُبَّ لَهوٍ لَهَوتُهُ

بِجِوارٍ رَبائِبِ

بِجِوارٍ رَبائِبِ

Many a diversion I have enjoyed

Many a frivolity they committed

with tenderly reared maidens.

With maidens nearby,

لَيسَ في ذاكَ مَحرَمٌ

لَيسَ في ذاكَ مَحرَمٌ

وَإِلَهِ المَغارِبِ

وَإِلَهِ المَغارِبِ

There is nothing forbidden in that,

Nothing forbidden in that

by the God of the sunsets,

By the God of the West.

غَيرَ أَنّا نَشفي الصُدو

غَيرَ أَنّا نَشفي الصُدو

رَ بِذَروِ التَعاتُبِ

رَ بِذَروِ التَعاتُبِ

save that we soothe our hearts

Except that we end conversations

by scattering mutual reproaches.

With hurtful reproaches,

قُلتُ لَمّا لَقيتُها

قُلتُ لَمّا لَقيتُها

مَرحَباً بِالمُجانِبِ

مَرحَباً بِالمُجانِبِ

I said, when I met her,

When I met her I said

“Welcome, you who keep your distance!

Hello to the aloof one!

أَنعَمَ اللَهُ بِالحَبي

أَنعَمَ اللَهُ بِالحَبي

بِ القَريبِ المُعاتِبِ

بِ القَريبِ المُعاتِبِ

May God bless the beloved,

God has blessed us with love

close and reproachful.

Between the intimate and reproacher.

أَنتِ أَشهى إِلَيَّ مِن

أَنتِ أَشهى إِلَيَّ مِن

صَوبِ مُزنِ السَحائِبِ

صَوبِ مُزنِ السَحائِبِ

You are more desirable to me than

You are more delicious to me

rain pouring from rain-bearing clouds.

Than the clouds' rain.

إِنَّما أَنتِ ظَبيَةٌ

إِنَّما أَنتِ ظَبيَةٌ

مِن إِكامٍ عَشائِبِ

مِن إِكامٍ عَشائِبِ

You are but a gazelle

You are just a gazelle

from grassy knolls,

Of a noble tribe,

أَو هِلالٌ بَدا لَنا

أَو هِلالٌ بَدا لَنا

وَسطَ زُهرِ الكَواكِبِ

وَسطَ زُهرِ الكَواكِبِ

or a crescent moon that appeared to us

Or a crescent that appeared

amid the shining stars.

Amidst the stars' flowers.

لَيتَ لي مِن طِلابِكُم

لَيتَ لي مِن طِلابِكُم

أَنَّني لَم أُطالَبِ

أَنَّني لَم أُطالَبِ

Would that, in seeking you,

I wish I were your student

I were not called to account!

So I would not have to seek you out,

خُلَّتي لَو بِكُم كَما

خُلَّتي لَو بِكُم كَما

بي إِذاً لَم نُراقِبِ

بي إِذاً لَم نُراقِبِ

My beloved, if you felt as

If only I could be with you

I do, then we would not heed,

Without needing to watch ourselves.

في هَوانا مَن غَشَّكُم

في هَوانا مَن غَشَّكُم

بِحَديثِ الكَواذِبِ

بِحَديثِ الكَواذِبِ

in our love, the one who deceived you

We spurn those who deceived you

with the talk of liars.”

With the words of liars.