تَذَكَّرتُ أَيّاماً مَضَينَ مِنَ الصِّبا

تَذَكَّرتُ أَيّاماً مَضَينَ مِنَ الصِّبا

وَهَيهاتَ هَيهاتاً إِلَيكَ رُجوعُها

وَهَيهاتَ هَيهاتاً إِلَيكَ رُجوعُها

I remembered days of youth that have passed,

I recalled the days of youth now past,

And far, far beyond reach is their return to you.

Alas, alas! Never to return.

تُؤَمِّلُ نُعمَى أَن تريعَ بِها النَوى

تُؤَمِّلُ نُعمَى أَن تريعَ بِها النَوى

أَلا حَبَّذا نُعمَى وَسَوفَ تريعُها

أَلا حَبَّذا نُعمَى وَسَوفَ تريعُها

You hope that separation will bring Nu'ma back;

You hope for blessings to enjoy them,

Ah, how dear is Nu'ma—and it will bring her back.

How excellent are blessings - you will enjoy them!

لَعَمرِي لَراعَتنِي نَوائِحُ غُدوَةً

لَعَمرِي لَراعَتنِي نَوائِحُ غُدوَةً

فَصَدَّعَ قَلبِي بِالفِراقِ جَميعُها

فَصَدَّعَ قَلبِي بِالفِراقِ جَميعُها

By my life, mourners startled me one morning,

By my life! Cries of parting pained me at dawn,

And all of them shattered my heart with parting.

Breaking my heart completely.

فَظَلتُ كَأَنِّي خَشيةَ المَوتِ إِذ أَنا

فَظَلتُ كَأَنِّي خَشيةَ المَوتِ إِذ أَنا

أَخو جنَّةٍ لا يَستَبِلُّ صَريعُها

أَخو جنَّةٍ لا يَستَبِلُّ صَريعُها

So I remained, fearing death, as though I were

So I remain as if fearing death, though I

One possessed by madness, whose stricken victim never recovers.

Am a brother of Paradise, undiminished.