أَجَدَّ لَنا مِنكَ الوَداعُ اِنتِواءَةً

أَجَدَّ لَنا مِنكَ الوَداعُ اِنتِواءَةً

وَكُنتَ وَماتَنفَكُّ يَشغَلُكَ الشُغلُ

وَكُنتَ وَماتَنفَكُّ يَشغَلُكَ الشُغلُ

Parting from you has renewed our resolve to depart,

Parting from you has brought us intense sorrow

And you were, and still are, kept busy by business.

Though you were always busy with important affairs

فَوَاللَهِ ما نَدري الوِلايَةُ تَشتَكي

فَوَاللَهِ ما نَدري الوِلايَةُ تَشتَكي

عَقابيلَها في مُنتَواكَ أَمِ العَزلُ

عَقابيلَها في مُنتَواكَ أَمِ العَزلُ

So, by God, we do not know: is it office you complain of—

By God, we wonder if the emirate complained

Its lingering effects in your chosen abode—or dismissal,

Of your dwelling there or if it was your dismissal

أَمِ الحَظُّ مَخسوسٌ لَدَيكَ مُؤَخَّرٌ

أَمِ الحَظُّ مَخسوسٌ لَدَيكَ مُؤَخَّرٌ

عَلى كُلِّ حالٍ مِنكَ تَسفُلُ أَو تَعلو

عَلى كُلِّ حالٍ مِنكَ تَسفُلُ أَو تَعلو

Or is my share with you diminished and deferred,

Or if fate has enviously treated you poorly

Whatever your state, whether you sink or rise?

In any case, you alternately rise and fall

أَسيرُ بِطيبِ النَفسِ مِنكَ عَلى الَّتي

أَسيرُ بِطيبِ النَفسِ مِنكَ عَلى الَّتي

تُجَرِّبُ مِن سوءِ المُجازاةِ أَو تَبلو

تُجَرِّبُ مِن سوءِ المُجازاةِ أَو تَبلو

I depart from you with a willing heart, despite what

I leave you with good will for whatever

You try or test in the way of ill recompense.

Ill-treatment or affliction you may experience

فَلا تَألُ في هَجري فَإِنّي مُتَيَّمٌ

فَلا تَألُ في هَجري فَإِنّي مُتَيَّمٌ

عَلى هِجرَةٍ بالَغتَ فيها فَما آلو

عَلى هِجرَةٍ بالَغتَ فيها فَما آلو

So spare no effort in forsaking me, for I am enslaved by love,

So do not blame me for leaving, for I am determined

Despite estrangement you have carried to extremes; I do not relent.

To undertake a journey from which no mounts return

لَنا رِحلَةٌ لَم تَسرِ عَنها مَطِيَّةٌ

لَنا رِحلَةٌ لَم تَسرِ عَنها مَطِيَّةٌ

سِوى ما أَفادَ الأَصدِقاءُ وَلا رَحلُ

سِوى ما أَفادَ الأَصدِقاءُ وَلا رَحلُ

For our journey, no mount has traveled by night,

We have a journey no riding beasts complete

Nor any saddle, save what our friends supplied.

Except what true friends afford, and no mounts endure

وَكِفلانِ مِن وَعدٍ عَلَيكَ مُقَدَّمٍ

وَكِفلانِ مِن وَعدٍ عَلَيكَ مُقَدَّمٍ

أَطاعَ لَنا كِفلٌ وَمانَعَنا كِفلُ

أَطاعَ لَنا كِفلٌ وَمانَعَنا كِفلُ

And two shares of an earlier promise binding upon you:

And of a prior promise binding you

One share yielded to us, and another resisted us.

One sponsor allowed and one sponsor refused

فَما أَنتَ بِالمَرزوقِ إِن كُنتَ عازِماً

فَما أَنتَ بِالمَرزوقِ إِن كُنتَ عازِماً

عَلى رَشَدٍ مِن فِعلِ مافَعَلَ النَغلُ

عَلى رَشَدٍ مِن فِعلِ مافَعَلَ النَغلُ

So you are not fortunate if you are resolved

You cannot thrive if you intend to follow

To find right guidance in doing what the bastard did.

The behavior of the crawling asp or adder