ذَكَرتُكِ حَتّى كِدتُ أَنساكِ لِلَّذي

ذَكَرتُكِ حَتّى كِدتُ أَنساكِ لِلَّذي

تَوَقَّدُ مِن نيرانِ ذِكراكِ في قَلبي

تَوَقَّدُ مِن نيرانِ ذِكراكِ في قَلبي

I remembered you until I almost forgot you, because of what

I remembered you until I almost forgot

blazes in my heart from the fires of remembering you.

The one whose fire of your memory burns in my heart

بَكَيتُكِ لَمّا مَثَّلَ النَأيُ بِالهَوى

بَكَيتُكِ لَمّا مَثَّلَ النَأيُ بِالهَوى

كَأَن لَم يُمَثِّلُ بي صُدودُكِ في القُربِ

كَأَن لَم يُمَثِّلُ بي صُدودُكِ في القُربِ

I wept for you when distance mutilated love,

I cried for you when separation acted out passion’s role

as though your rejection had not mutilated me when you were near.

As if your aloofness in closeness had no effect on me

وَهَل كانَ لي في القُربِ عِندَكِ راحَةٌ

وَهَل كانَ لي في القُربِ عِندَكِ راحَةٌ

وَوَصلُكِ سَهمُ البَينِ في الشَرقِ وَالغَربِ

وَوَصلُكِ سَهمُ البَينِ في الشَرقِ وَالغَربِ

And did I have any comfort in being near you,

Did I even have comfort near you?

while union with you was parting’s arrow in east and west?

Your union is the arrow of separation in the East and West

بَلى كانَ لي في الصَبرِ عَنكِ مُعَوَّلٌ

بَلى كانَ لي في الصَبرِ عَنكِ مُعَوَّلٌ

وَمَندوحَةٌ لَولا فُضولي في الحُبِّ

وَمَندوحَةٌ لَولا فُضولي في الحُبِّ

Yes, I would have had a refuge in patience apart from you,

Yes, in patience from you I had a reliance

and a way out, were it not for my excess in love.

And a refuge, had it not been for my excess in love