لَمّا اِفتَحتُ كِتابي مُنشِئاً بِيَدي

لَمّا اِفتَحتُ كِتابي مُنشِئاً بِيَدي

ما بي إِلى وَجهِكَ المَأمولِ مِن قَرَمِ

ما بي إِلى وَجهِكَ المَأمولِ مِن قَرَمِ

When I began my letter, setting down with my hand

When I opened my book, starting with my hand

the longing I feel for your hoped-for face,

I have nothing left for your hoped for face but tears

وَدِدتُ لَو أَنَّني وَالدارُ نازِحَةٌ

وَدِدتُ لَو أَنَّني وَالدارُ نازِحَةٌ

أَسعى إِلَيكَ بِرَأسي حاكِياً قَلَمي

أَسعى إِلَيكَ بِرَأسي حاكِياً قَلَمي

I wished that, though the dwelling was far away,

I wish that I and this house had moved on

I might hasten to you on my head, imitating my pen.

So I could come to you, narrating with my head my pen

فَحينَ لَم أَحكِهِ مَشياً عَلى بَصَري

فَحينَ لَم أَحكِهِ مَشياً عَلى بَصَري

حَكاهُ شَوقاً بِدَمعٍ مِنهُ مُنسَجِمُ

حَكاهُ شَوقاً بِدَمعٍ مِنهُ مُنسَجِمُ

So when I could not imitate it by walking on my eye,

So when my walking did not narrate it to my sight

my eye imitated it out of longing, with its streaming tears.

My longing narrated it with a tear from it harmonized

فَلَو غَدَت هَذِهِ الأَقلامُ ناطِقَةً

فَلَو غَدَت هَذِهِ الأَقلامُ ناطِقَةً

شَهِدنَ لي بِالَّذي شاهَدنَ مِن ذِمَمي

شَهِدنَ لي بِالَّذي شاهَدنَ مِن ذِمَمي

So if these pens became able to speak,

If only these pens became articulate

they would testify for me to the pledges of mine they have witnessed.

They would testify for me concerning that which they witnessed of my tears

وَكَيفَ أَنساكَ لا نُعماكَ واحِدَةً

وَكَيفَ أَنساكَ لا نُعماكَ واحِدَةً

عِندي وَلا بِالَّذي أَولَيتَ مِن قِدَمِ

عِندي وَلا بِالَّذي أَولَيتَ مِن قِدَمِ

And how could I forget you? Your favors are not merely one

And how could I forget your favors, while not one

to me, nor is what you bestowed long past.

Remains with me, nor what you have accorded of old