أُسائلُ الرَّكبَ عنكم

أُسائلُ الرَّكبَ عنكم

وأنتم في فؤادي

وأنتم في فؤادي

I ask the caravan about you,

I ask the travelers about you

While you are in my heart.

While you are in my heart

وقفٌ عليكم طريقي

وقفٌ عليكم طريقي

في حُبّكم وتِلادي

في حُبّكم وتِلادي

My path is devoted to you,

My journey stops for you

In my love for you—as is my inherited wealth.

In my love for you and my longing

تصبُّري في انتقاصٍ

تصبُّري في انتقاصٍ

ولوعتي في ازديادِ

ولوعتي في ازديادِ

My patient endurance is waning,

My patience increases in loss

And my burning anguish is growing.

And my agony grows

قالوا مرادك ماذا

قالوا مرادك ماذا

فقلتُ أَنتم مُرادي

فقلتُ أَنتم مُرادي

They said, “What is your desire?”

They asked what do you want

So I said, “You are my desire.”

I said you are what I want

ما بالكم لم تلبُّوا

ما بالكم لم تلبُّوا

وقد سمعتم أُنادي

وقد سمعتم أُنادي

Why have you not responded,

Why didn't you respond

Though you have heard me calling?

When you heard my call

وكم لكم من أيادٍ

وكم لكم من أيادٍ

لم أَنسها وأَيادِ

لم أَنسها وأَيادِ

And how many favors of yours

How many favors you have

I have not forgotten—and yet more favors.

I did not forget them or the hands that gave them

يا مالكي الرِّقَ رقُّوا

يا مالكي الرِّقَ رقُّوا

فقد ملكتم قيادي

فقد ملكتم قيادي

O masters of bondage, show mercy,

Oh you who own me, have mercy

For you have taken hold of my reins.

For you have owned my reins

صددتم الوردَ عنّي

صددتم الوردَ عنّي

علماً بأنيَ صادِ

علماً بأنيَ صادِ

You have kept water from me,

You have denied me roses

Knowing that I am thirsty.

Knowing that I am a flower picker

سرتم بقلبي وسري

سرتم بقلبي وسري

وراحتي ورقادي

وراحتي ورقادي

You departed with my heart and my secret,

You have taken my heart, my secret

And my rest and my sleep.

My comfort and my rest

ما هكذا لو عرفتم

ما هكذا لو عرفتم

يكونُ شرطُ الوِدادِ

يكونُ شرطُ الوِدادِ

This is not how—if you knew—

It would not have been so if you knew

The terms of love should be.

This is the condition of love