أنا في تطلابه وهو لدىّ

أنا في تطلابه وهو لدىّ

مطلب مرَّ ولم يلو علىّ

مطلب مرَّ ولم يلو علىّ

I am in pursuit of it, though it is with me.

I seek him while he is with me,

An object of pursuit that passed by and paid me no heed.

My desire passed but did not turn to me.

قد تركت الهند أطويها له

قد تركت الهند أطويها له

وهو يطويها وما يدرى إلى

وهو يطويها وما يدرى إلى

I have left India, traversing it for its sake.

I left India behind to meet him,

And it traverses it toward me, unaware.

While he turns from it not knowing where.

والتقينا ما خطا لي خطوة

والتقينا ما خطا لي خطوة

لا ولم أنقل إليه قدمى

لا ولم أنقل إليه قدمى

And we met, though it took no step toward me.

We met but I took no steps toward him,

No, nor did I move my foot toward it.

Nor moved my feet his way.

يا لملك راح عني نائيا

يا لملك راح عني نائيا

كان لو فتشت عنه في يدي

كان لو فتشت عنه في يدي

Alas for a kingdom that departed far from me—

Oh king who left me from afar,

It would have been in my hand, had I searched for it.

If I searched for him, he'd be in my hand.