مَنْ لدانٍ هواه ناء هواه

مَنْ لدانٍ هواه ناء هواه

قد شكته شكواه

قد شكته شكواه

Who is there for one whose love is near, yet whose beloved is far?

He whose love has consumed me, consumed me

His own lament has already complained of him.

I have complained of him, complained of him

ومرى شوقه المدامع حتى

ومرى شوقه المدامع حتى

صار يبكيه مِن بكاه بكاهُ

صار يبكيه مِن بكاه بكاهُ

And his longing milked his tear ducts, until

And my passion for him has brought tears to my eyes

His own weeping began to weep for him because of his weeping.

Until he who cries over him, cries over him

بأبي غائب بشوقي وفكري

بأبي غائب بشوقي وفكري

فيه ألقاه حين لا ألقاهُ

فيه ألقاه حين لا ألقاهُ

May my father be ransom for an absent one; through my longing and my thought

For my absent father, my longing and my thoughts for him

Of him, I meet him when I do not meet him.

I have found him when I cannot find him

مثلته المنى لقلبي وطرفي

مثلته المنى لقلبي وطرفي

فكأني أراه إذ لا أراهُ

فكأني أراه إذ لا أراهُ

Wishes have pictured him for my heart and my gaze,

My hopes have portrayed him to my heart and eyes

So it is as though I see him when I do not see him.

So it is as if I can see him when I cannot see him

يا أبا جعفر لقد نال من لم

يا أبا جعفر لقد نال من لم

يرَ يوما مُناه فينا مُناهُ

يرَ يوما مُناه فينا مُناهُ

O Abu Jaʿfar, he has indeed attained—he who never

Oh Abu Ja'far, he who has never seen

Saw his heart’s desire among us, even for a day—his heart’s desire.

His wishes fulfilled now has them fulfilled