لَعَمرِيَ ما حَبسي كِتابِيَ عَنكُمُ

لَعَمرِيَ ما حَبسي كِتابِيَ عَنكُمُ

لِهَجرٍ وَلَكِن كَثرَةُ الرُسلِ تَفضَحُ

لِهَجرٍ وَلَكِن كَثرَةُ الرُسلِ تَفضَحُ

By my life, I do not withhold my letter from you

By my life, my writing has not kept me from you,

out of estrangement; but too many messengers give us away.

Not for estrangement, but the excess messengers embarrass me.

وَإِن كُنتُ لَم أَكتُب إِلَيكُم فَإِنَّما

وَإِن كُنتُ لَم أَكتُب إِلَيكُم فَإِنَّما

فُؤادي إِلَيكُم حينَ أُمسي وَأُصبِحُ

فُؤادي إِلَيكُم حينَ أُمسي وَأُصبِحُ

And though I have not written to you, still

If I have not written to you, it is because

my heart is turned toward you alone, evening and morning.

My heart is with you when evening comes and morning breaks.

أَغَرَّكِ تَسليمي عَلى بَعضِ أَهلِكُم

أَغَرَّكِ تَسليمي عَلى بَعضِ أَهلِكُم

وَما قُلتُ بَأساً إِنَّما كُنتُ أَمزَحُ

وَما قُلتُ بَأساً إِنَّما كُنتُ أَمزَحُ

Has my greeting some of your family misled you?

Does my greeting some of your people deceive you?

And I said nothing hurtful; I was only joking.

I was only joking, I meant no harm.

مُخالَطَتي يا فَوزُ أَهلَكِ فَاِعلَمي

مُخالَطَتي يا فَوزُ أَهلَكِ فَاِعلَمي

يَقيناً بِأَنّي نَحوَ بَيتِكِ أَطمَحُ

يَقيناً بِأَنّي نَحوَ بَيتِكِ أَطمَحُ

As for my mingling with your family, O Fawz, know

My mingling, O Fawz of her family, know for certain

for certain that I gaze longingly toward your house.

That it is your house I yearn for.

إِذا أَنا لَم أَمنَحكُمُ الوِدَّ وَالهَوى

إِذا أَنا لَم أَمنَحكُمُ الوِدَّ وَالهَوى

فَمَن ذا الَّذي يا فَوزُ أَهوى وَأَمنَحُ

فَمَن ذا الَّذي يا فَوزُ أَهوى وَأَمنَحُ

If I do not give you affection and love,

If I do not grant you love and passion,

then who is it, O Fawz, that I love and give my affection to?

Then who, O Fawz, do I love and grant passion?

أُكاتِمُ خَلق اللَهُ ما بي وَرُبَّما

أُكاتِمُ خَلق اللَهُ ما بي وَرُبَّما

ذَكَرتُكُمُ حَتّى أَكادُ أُصَرِّحُ

ذَكَرتُكُمُ حَتّى أَكادُ أُصَرِّحُ

I conceal from God's creatures what is in me, and sometimes

I conceal from people what is in me, and sometimes

I mention you until I almost speak openly.

I mention you until I almost declare it plainly.

فَيا كَبِدي طالَت إِلَيكُم رَسائِلي

فَيا كَبِدي طالَت إِلَيكُم رَسائِلي

وَهَذا رَسولي أَعجَمٌ لَيسَ يُفصِحُ

وَهَذا رَسولي أَعجَمٌ لَيسَ يُفصِحُ

So, O my liver, my letters to you have grown long,

So my heart, my messages have longed for you,

and this messenger of mine is mute, unable to speak clearly.

And this is my messenger, inarticulate, not eloquent.