أَأَحبابنا من بعِنا كيف أَنتمُ

أَأَحبابنا من بعِنا كيف أَنتمُ

فقد بانَ صبري والكرى منذُ بنتمُ

فقد بانَ صبري والكرى منذُ بنتمُ

O our beloved ones, after our parting, how are you?

O our beloveds, how are you since our parting? [Reading the unclear بعِنا as بعدنا, “after us.”]

My patience and my sleep have vanished since you left.

For my patience and sleep have departed since you departed.

وما زلتمُ أَهلَ المودَّةِ والوِفا

وما زلتمُ أَهلَ المودَّةِ والوِفا

ولكنّما خانَ الزَّمانُ فخنتم

ولكنّما خانَ الزَّمانُ فخنتم

You were ever people of affection and fidelity,

And you have always been people of affection and fidelity,

but Time betrayed us, and so you too betrayed me.

But time proved faithless, and so did you.

وإنّي بحالٍ لستُ أَذكرُ بعضَها

وإنّي بحالٍ لستُ أَذكرُ بعضَها

على كلِّ حالٍ أَنتمُ كيفَ أَنتمُ

على كلِّ حالٍ أَنتمُ كيفَ أَنتمُ

And I am in such a state that I cannot tell even part of it;

And I am in a state I do not describe even in part.

in any case, you—how are you?

In any case, you—how are you?

محبّكمُ من لوعةِ الوجدِ مشتكٍ

محبّكمُ من لوعةِ الوجدِ مشتكٍ

وقد كنتمُ تشكونَهُ لو علمتمُ

وقد كنتمُ تشكونَهُ لو علمتمُ

Your lover complains of the burning anguish of longing,

Your lover complains of the burning anguish of longing,

and you too would complain of it, if only you knew.

And you would have eased his suffering, had you known.

أَسيركمُ العاني أَما تطلقونَه

أَسيركمُ العاني أَما تطلقونَه

فديتكمُ ما ضرَّكُمْ لو مَنَنْتُمُ

فديتكمُ ما ضرَّكُمْ لو مَنَنْتُمُ

Your captive, held in bondage—will you not set him free?

Your captive, in bondage—will you not release him?

May I be your ransom—what harm if you graciously set him free?

May I be your ransom—what harm would it do you to show mercy?