أَبكي إِلى الشَرقِ إِن كانَت مَنازِلُهُم

أَبكي إِلى الشَرقِ إِن كانَت مَنازِلُهُم

مِمّا يَلي الغَربَ خوفَ القيلِ وَالقالِ

مِمّا يَلي الغَربَ خوفَ القيلِ وَالقالِ

I weep toward the east if their dwellings

I weep to the East, if their dwellings are

lie toward the west, for fear of gossip and idle talk.

To the West of mine, in fear of slander and gossip.

أَقولُ بِالخَدِّ خالٌ حينَ أَنعَتُها

أَقولُ بِالخَدِّ خالٌ حينَ أَنعَتُها

خَوفَ الوُشاةِ وَما بِالخَدِّ مِن خالِ

خَوفَ الوُشاةِ وَما بِالخَدِّ مِن خالِ

I say, “There is a mole on her cheek,” when I describe her,

I talk of a mole on the cheek, when I lament her,

for fear of tale-bearers, though there is no mole on her cheek.

In fear of the backbiters - though no mole is on the cheek at all.

يا أَغفَلَ الناسِ عَمّا بي وَأَعلَمَهُم

يا أَغفَلَ الناسِ عَمّا بي وَأَعلَمَهُم

بِما يُداوى بِهِ حُزني وَبَلبالي

بِما يُداوى بِهِ حُزني وَبَلبالي

O you, of all people most heedless of my plight, yet most aware

O most heedless of people of my love, yet most aware

of what can heal my sorrow and my anguish,

of how to cure my sadness and distress!

لَسنا وَإِن كُنتَ تَجفونا وَتَقطَعُنا

لَسنا وَإِن كُنتَ تَجفونا وَتَقطَعُنا

بِتارِكيكَ عَلى حالٍ مِنَ الحالِ

بِتارِكيكَ عَلى حالٍ مِنَ الحالِ

we are not—even if you shun us and cut us off—

Though you shun us and sever us,

ones to abandon you, whatever the circumstances.

We are unchanged, however you leave us.