The agony of love

Translating Arabic poetry makes me appreciate its beauty even more. Here is an attempt at a couple of lines about the agony of love.

Let me know your thoughts

لو كانَ لي قلبان لعشت بواحدٍ
وأفردت قلباً في هواك يعذبُ
لكنَّ لي قلباً تّملكَهُ الهَوى
لا العَيشُ يحلو لَهُ ولا الموت يقربُ
كعصفورة في كف طفلٍ يهينها
تُعَانِي عَذابَ المَوتِ والطِفلُ يلعبُ
فلا الطفل ذو عقل يرق لحالها
ولا الطيرُ مطلوقُ الجناحينِ فيذهبُ
(قيس ابن الملوح)

If I had two hearts then I would live with one
and leave the other one tormenting in your love

Alas I only have one heart, possessed by love
to continue on living does not appeal to it
and death is not drawing nearer

Like a tiny bird in the hands of a toddler
Suffering the pains of death while the child is at play

Neither the child is understanding of its pain to have pity on it
nor are the bird’s wings free for it to escape


below is a sung rendition of it by Lutfi Bushnaq

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=45PKJaEjm4s