دِيارهُمُ لا غَيّرتكِ يَدُ البِلى

دِيارهُمُ لا غَيّرتكِ يَدُ البِلى

وَلا زالَ يَسقيك الحَيا وَيَجودُ

وَلا زالَ يَسقيك الحَيا وَيَجودُ

Their dwelling-place—may the hand of decay never alter you,

O their dwellings, may the hand of decay never alter you,

Their homes time's hand has not changed

May the hand of decay never alter their abodes, and may the rain unceasingly water and bless you.

and may the life-giving rain never cease to water you and pour abundantly.

And may the rain never cease to water you and pour generously.

Nor ceased the Good to water you and be generous

You drew near to the lovesick heart despite the distance, for every heart is enthralled by you.

دَنَوت مِنَ القَلبِ العَميدِ عَلى النَوى

دَنَوت مِنَ القَلبِ العَميدِ عَلى النَوى

وَكُلٌّ لَهُ قَلبٌ عَلَيكِ عَميدُ

وَكُلٌّ لَهُ قَلبٌ عَلَيكِ عَميدُ

Despite our separation, you drew near to the love-stricken heart;

You drew near to the love-stricken heart despite separation,

You approached the staunch heart with purpose

We called to you in our sickness, hoping you would answer with a cure, yet you heard not, though we are not far away.

and everyone has a heart that languishes for you.

And everyone has a heart love-stricken for you.

And every heart is staunchly attached to you

There are debts upon us which the creditor demands; I settle them not unless you are there to witness.

دَعَوناكِ مَرضى لَو شَفيتِ مُجيبَةً

دَعَوناكِ مَرضى لَو شَفيتِ مُجيبَةً

وَلَم تَسمَعي ما نَحنُ عَنكِ بَعيدُ

وَلَم تَسمَعي ما نَحنُ عَنكِ بَعيدُ

Sick with longing, we called to you: had you answered, you would have healed us;

We called to you, ailing—if only you would answer and heal us;

We called you, sick, had you responded healing

The darkness of night becomes morning in your presence, for you are the horizon where every auspicious crescent rises.

though you did not hear—and we are not far from you.

Yet you did not hear, though we are not far from you.

Yet you heard not, for we are far from you

The nights struck us with separation, scattering the wild gazelles and lions that used to meet.

دُيونٌ عَلَينا يَقتَضيها غَريمُها

دُيونٌ عَلَينا يَقتَضيها غَريمُها

فَلا قضيت إِلّا وَأَنت شَهيدُ

فَلا قضيت إِلّا وَأَنت شَهيدُ

We owe debts whose creditor demands repayment;

We owe debts whose creditor demands repayment;

Debts upon us the creditor claims

The cycles of this world turn upon its people, causing a man's fortunes to wane and wax.

yet I will pay none unless you bear witness.

So may they be paid only with you as witness.

So I repay but with life forsaken

The bright stars of my happiness have inclined towards setting, turning the white nights black in my eyes.

دُجى اللَيل صُبحٌ فيك إِذ أَنت مطلعٌ

دُجى اللَيل صُبحٌ فيك إِذ أَنت مطلعٌ

لِكُلِّ هِلالٍ أَطلَعتهُ سُعودُ

لِكُلِّ هِلالٍ أَطلَعتهُ سُعودُ

Night’s darkness is dawn within you, for you are the rising-place

Night's darkness is dawn within you, for you are a rising-place

The night is dark but dawn in you arises

My tears and my very soul belong to these dwelling places, wherein lie my desires—so where else would I turn?

of every crescent that auspicious stars have brought forth.

For every crescent that auspicious stars have made rise.

For each new moon you brought auspiciousness

At the farewell, I entrusted her with a pledge, saying, "Guard it well, for I shall surely return."

دَهَتنا اللَيالي بِالنَوى فَتَفَرَّقَت

دَهَتنا اللَيالي بِالنَوى فَتَفَرَّقَت

جَآذِرُ كانَت تَلتَقي وَأُسودُ

جَآذِرُ كانَت تَلتَقي وَأُسودُ

The nights afflicted us with separation, and scattered

The nights assailed us with separation, scattering

Our nights confused us with purpose and we scattered

the gazelles and lions that once met together.

Young antelopes and lions that once gathered together.

United roots now sundered and dark

دَوائِرُ ذي الدُّنيا تَدورُ بِأَهلِها

دَوائِرُ ذي الدُّنيا تَدورُ بِأَهلِها

فَتنقصُ أَحوالُ الفَتى وَتَزيدُ

فَتنقصُ أَحوالُ الفَتى وَتَزيدُ

The vicissitudes of this world revolve upon its people,

The cycles of this world revolve around its people,

The circles of this world spin with their people

diminishing one’s fortunes, then increasing them.

So a young man's fortunes decline and rise.

Diminishing the youth but increasing his woe

دَراريَ سَعدي لِلأُفولُ تَجانَحَت

دَراريَ سَعدي لِلأُفولُ تَجانَحَت

فَبيضُ اللَيالي في عُيونيَ سودُ

فَبيضُ اللَيالي في عُيونيَ سودُ

The radiant stars of my good fortune have inclined toward setting,

The brilliant stars of my fortune have inclined toward setting;

My bliss of Sa'di for loss joined ranks

so even the nights’ whiteness is black in my eyes.

So the white nights are black in my eyes.

So the nights in my eyes turned white to black

دُموعي لَها مِن أَربع وَحشاشَتي

دُموعي لَها مِن أَربع وَحشاشَتي

وَفيها لباناتي فَأَينَ أُريدُ

وَفيها لباناتي فَأَينَ أُريدُ

My tears are for her deserted dwelling-sites, as is my desolation;

My tears and my life's last spark belong to those dwellings,

For them my tears and my love fourfold

there lie all my heart’s desires—where else would I turn?

And in them lie my desires—where else would I wish to go?

Where can I find the incense I desire?

دَفَعتُ إِلَيها في الوَداعِ وَديعَةً

دَفَعتُ إِلَيها في الوَداعِ وَديعَةً

وَقُلتُ اِحفَظيها إِنَّني سَأَعودُ

وَقُلتُ اِحفَظيها إِنَّني سَأَعودُ

At farewell I entrusted her with something precious,

At parting, I left a trust with them,

To her at parting I gave a pledge

and said, “Guard it: surely I shall return.”

And I said, 'Keep it safe; I shall return.'

And said "Keep it, I shall return anew"