سهادُ أخي البلوى حقيقٌ به السَّهْوُ

سهادُ أخي البلوى حقيقٌ به السَّهْوُ

ولم يُلْهه عن هَجْر أحبابه لهوُ

ولم يُلْهه عن هَجْر أحبابه لهوُ

The sleeplessness of affliction's brother warrants absentmindedness;

My brother's vigil is right for him, afflicted is he with forgetfulness,

and no diversion distracted him from his loved ones' desertion.

And he is not diverted from the estrangement of his loved ones by play,

وباتَ ولمّا يطعَمِ الغُمْضَ طرفُه

وباتَ ولمّا يطعَمِ الغُمْضَ طرفُه

يكابد أحزاناً وقد هجعَ الخلْوُ

يكابد أحزاناً وقد هجعَ الخلْوُ

And he spent the night, his eye not yet having tasted sleep,

He spent the night sleepless, his eyes unvisited by slumber,

struggling with sorrows while the carefree one had fallen asleep.

Enduring sorrows while seclusion has settled into rest,

وأنّى يُرَى ذو اللُّب مالكَ صبوةٍ

وأنّى يُرَى ذو اللُّب مالكَ صبوةٍ

إذا لم ينلْهُ مِنْ أحبته العفوُ

إذا لم ينلْهُ مِنْ أحبته العفوُ

And how can a man of reason be seen as master of his longing,

How can the soft-hearted be seen possessing composure,

if no pardon reaches him from his loved ones?

If forgiveness from his beloved does not come to him,

أسالبتي حُسنَ العَزاءِ بصدِّها

أسالبتي حُسنَ العَزاءِ بصدِّها

أما آن لي من طولِ ذي السَّقَمِ البروُ

أما آن لي من طولِ ذي السَّقَمِ البروُ

O you whose rejection robs me of sweet consolation,

My reproachers have denied me the beauty of consolation by their closeness,

has the time not come for me to recover from this long sickness?

How long will I remain in the sickness of my condition, deprived of health,

فإن كان حقّاً ما زعمتِ اجترمتُه

فإن كان حقّاً ما زعمتِ اجترمتُه

فلا قلَّ من أوجاعه بدني النِّضوُ

فلا قلَّ من أوجاعه بدني النِّضوُ

For if what you claim I committed is true,

If what you claimed I transgressed against is true,

then may my wasted body never be relieved of its pains;

Neither has my body decreased from its pains, nor

ولا استمتعتْ عيناي منك بنظرةٍ

ولا استمتعتْ عيناي منك بنظرةٍ

ولا محَّ من قلبي لهجرِكُمُ شَجْوُ

ولا محَّ من قلبي لهجرِكُمُ شَجْوُ

nor may my eyes delight in a glimpse of you,

Have my eyes delighted in a glance from you,

nor may sorrow at your desertion fade from my heart.

Nor has the anguish of your abandonment left my heart,

وكيف أُمنّي النفسَ عنكِ تسليّاً

وكيف أُمنّي النفسَ عنكِ تسليّاً

وما ليَ إلا أنتُمُ في الهوى كفْوُ

وما ليَ إلا أنتُمُ في الهوى كفْوُ

And how can I promise my soul solace apart from you,

How can I wish my soul to forget about you, to console it,

when none but you is my match in love?

When I have none but you in love to match me,

حُرمتُ إذن منك الوصال ونعمة

حُرمتُ إذن منك الوصال ونعمة

ولا عادَ لي عيشٌ بقربكُمُ حُلْوُ

ولا عادَ لي عيشٌ بقربكُمُ حُلْوُ

Then may I be denied union with you and bliss,

I am deprived of union with you and your favor,

nor may sweet life beside you ever return to me;

And living close to you is no longer sweet for me,

وفَارقني زيرٌ ومثنىً ومَثْلثٌ

وفَارقني زيرٌ ومثنىً ومَثْلثٌ

وبَمٌّ وسرَّى عنيَ السَّكَرَ الصحْوُ

وبَمٌّ وسرَّى عنيَ السَّكَرَ الصحْوُ

and may the zīr, mathnā, and mathlath strings forsake me,

I've been abandoned by visitors, pairs, and groups,

and the bamm—and may sobriety drive drunkenness from me.

My sobriety has been hidden from me by intoxication's departure.