ما جِئتُ ذَنباً بِهِ اِستَوجَبتُ سَخطَكُمُ

ما جِئتُ ذَنباً بِهِ اِستَوجَبتُ سَخطَكُمُ

أَستَغفِرُ اللَهَ إِلّا شِدَّةُ النَظَرِ

أَستَغفِرُ اللَهَ إِلّا شِدَّةُ النَظَرِ

I committed no sin for which I deserved your wrath—

I came not with a fault for which I deserved your anger

I have committed no sin by which I merited your wrath,

I seek God's forgiveness—save for gazing too intently.

I ask Allah's forgiveness, save for the intensity of my gaze

I ask God's forgiveness—save for the intensity of my gaze.

يا أَهلَ بَغدادَ أَلقى ذا بِحَضرَتِكُم

يا أَهلَ بَغدادَ أَلقى ذا بِحَضرَتِكُم

فَكَيفَ لَو كُنتُ بَينَ التُركِ وَالخَزَرِ

فَكَيفَ لَو كُنتُ بَينَ التُركِ وَالخَزَرِ

O people of Baghdad, I face this in your presence;

O people of Baghdad! I who am here before you

O people of Baghdad, if I encounter this in your presence,

so how would it be if I were among the Turks and the Khazars?

How would it be if I were amidst the Turks and the Khazars

Then how would it be were I among the Turks and Khazars?

سَحَّت عَلَيَّ سَماءُ الحُزنِ بَعدَكُمُ

سَحَّت عَلَيَّ سَماءُ الحُزنِ بَعدَكُمُ

وَأَحدَقَت بي بُحورُ الشَوقِ وَالفِكَرِ

وَأَحدَقَت بي بُحورُ الشَوقِ وَالفِكَرِ

The sky of sorrow poured down upon me after you left,

Upon me the sky of sorrow cast down after you all

The skies of sorrow poured down upon me in your absence,

and seas of longing and thoughts encircled me.

And the seas of longing and thought closed in around me

And the seas of longing and brooding thought surrounded me.