سل السماء عن الولهان هل رقدا

سل السماء عن الولهان هل رقدا

أم بات يرعى سهاها هائماً كمدا

أم بات يرعى سهاها هائماً كمدا

Ask the sky about the lovesick one: has he slept,

Ask the sky about the infatuated one, did he sleep

or spent the night watching its Suha star, love-distraught and grief-stricken?

Or stay up wandering deliriously like a wavering pillar?

لا والرواقص مذ أبعدت ما لقيت

لا والرواقص مذ أبعدت ما لقيت

عيناي نوماً وعنها الدمع ما نفدا

عيناي نوماً وعنها الدمع ما نفدا

No, by the prancing camels! Since you went away,

No, and since the dancers left I have not known

my eyes have found no sleep, nor have their tears run dry.

Sleep to my eyes, nor have their tears ceased flowing.

متى يعود زمان كان يجمعنا

متى يعود زمان كان يجمعنا

والعيش غضٌّ وعذال الهوى رقدا

والعيش غضٌّ وعذال الهوى رقدا

When will the time that brought us together return,

When will the days return that brought us together

when life was fresh and love's reprovers were asleep?

While life was fresh and the torment of love lay dormant?

إن كان قصدك إتلاف الكئيب فمن

إن كان قصدك إتلاف الكئيب فمن

يرد جيش صدود منك إن وفدا

يرد جيش صدود منك إن وفدا

If your aim is to destroy the sorrowful one, then who

If your aim is to destroy the anguished one, who then

can repel an army of your rejection, should it arrive?

Could ward off your advancing army if it marched forth?

نأيت عني لإتلافي فما حيلي

نأيت عني لإتلافي فما حيلي

فإن أمُت فلتكن عن وجنتيك فدا

فإن أمُت فلتكن عن وجنتيك فدا

You drew away from me to destroy me—what recourse have I?

You've shunned me to destroy me, and I have no recourse-

So if I die, let it be a ransom for your cheeks.

So let me die, my cheek resting upon your doorstep.