لَكَ لا لِغَيرَك أَشتَكي

لَكَ لا لِغَيرَك أَشتَكي

جَور الصُدود المُهلك

جَور الصُدود المُهلك

To you, not to anyone else, I complain

To you alone, not another, I complain,

of the deadly cruelty of rejection.

Of the cruelty of the aloof ones who destroy me.

فَاِرحَم أَسيرَك إِنَّني

فَاِرحَم أَسيرَك إِنَّني

أَلقى السِلاح أَو أَفتُك

أَلقى السِلاح أَو أَفتُك

So have mercy on your captive, for I

So have mercy on your captive, for I

lay down my arms—or strike to kill.

Will either cast down my weapons or break free.

أَشكو إِلى مَن لا يُجي

أَشكو إِلى مَن لا يُجي

ب وَلا يَرق لِمُشتَكي

ب وَلا يَرق لِمُشتَكي

I complain to one who does not

I complain to one who does not answer

answer, nor show pity to one who complains.

And feels no pity for the complainant.

وَأَقول يا عَين اِسفِحي

وَأَقول يا عَين اِسفِحي

فَيَقول يا عَين أسفِكي

فَيَقول يا عَين أسفِكي

And I say, "O eye, shed tears!"

And I say, "O eye, shed tears!"

Then he says, "O eye, shed blood!"

And it says, "O eye, spill tears!"

يا مَعرَضاً فَضح اِستِتا

يا مَعرَضاً فَضح اِستِتا

ري وَاِستَباحَ تَهَتُكي

ري وَاِستَباحَ تَهَتُكي

O you who turn away, who laid bare

O one who turns away, my misfortune exposed

my concealment and made my disgrace fair game:

And made permissible your mockery of me,

إِني فَنيت وَإِنَّما

إِني فَنيت وَإِنَّما

أَمل التَلاقي مَمسَكي

أَمل التَلاقي مَمسَكي

Indeed, I have wasted away, and only

I am finished, yet my only

the hope of reunion sustains me.

Hope is to meet with you again.