مَتىwhen بِالقُرْبِof nearness يُخْبرنيinforms me الرَّسُولُthe messenger
مَتى بِالقُرْبِ يُخْبرني الرَّسُولُ
وَيَسْمَحُand is generous بِاللّقاwith a meeting دَهْرٌtime بَخِيلُmiserly
وَيَسْمَحُ بِاللّقا دَهْرٌ بَخِيلُ
When will the messenger bring me news of nearness,
When will the messenger inform me of your nearness,
and miserly time be generous with a meeting,
And time allow us to meet, oh stingy era!
وَيَرْجِعُand becomes فِيكَfor you سَتْرُconcealment الحُبِّof love جَهْراًopen avowal
وَيَرْجِعُ فِيكَ سَتْرُ الحُبِّ جَهْراً
وَيُشفىand is quenched مِنْكَfrom you بِالوَصْلِthrough union الغَليلُthe burning thirst
وَيُشفى مِنْكَ بِالوَصْلِ الغَليلُ
and hidden love for you become openly declared,
And the veil of love return to reveal you openly,
and the burning thirst be quenched through union with you?
And meeting you cure the heartsick patient.
وِدَادٌaffection لاَnot تُغيِّرهُchanges it اللَّياليthe nights
وِدَادٌ لاَ تُغيِّرهُ اللَّيالي
وَحُبٌّand a love لاnot يُنَهْنِههُrestrains it العَذولُthe reproacher
وَحُبٌّ لا يُنَهْنِههُ العَذولُ
An affection the nights cannot change,
A love that the nights do not change,
and a love no reproacher can restrain;
A passion that separation does not weaken.
وَعَهْدٌand a pledge كُنْتَyou used to تَعْهَدهُknow it صَحيحٌintact
وَعَهْدٌ كُنْتَ تَعْهَدهُ صَحيحٌ
وَقَلْبٌand a heart كُنْتَyou used to تَسْكُنُهُinhabit it عَليلُailing
وَقَلْبٌ كُنْتَ تَسْكُنُهُ عَليلُ
and a pledge you once knew remains intact,
A promise you had made true,
and a heart you once inhabited is ailing.
A heart you once dwelled in, now ill.
وَمَاand what بَيْنَbetween الضُّلوعِthe ribs إِلَيْكَfor you شَوْقٌlonging
وَمَا بَيْنَ الضُّلوعِ إِلَيْكَ شَوْقٌ
تَزولُvanish الرّاسِياتُthe firmly rooted mountains وَلاand does not يَزُولُvanish
تَزولُ الرّاسِياتُ وَلا يَزُولُ
And what lies between my ribs is longing for you:
And what lies between my ribs toward you is longing
the firmly rooted mountains may vanish, but it will not.
That makes the firm mountains shake, but does not fade.
أَلاah ياO ظاعِناًdeparting one هَلْis there مِنْany رُجُوعٍreturn
أَلا يا ظاعِناً هَلْ مِنْ رُجُوعٍ
فَتَجْمَعُنَاso they reunite us المنازِلُthe dwellings والطُّلولُand the ruins
فَتَجْمَعُنَا المنازِلُ والطُّلولُ
Ah, departing one, will you ever return,
Oh distant one! Is there any return
so the dwellings and ruins may reunite us?
That would bring us together, the homes and the ruins?
فَقَدْfor indeed فَقَدَhas lost الكرىsleep جَفْنٌan eyelid قَريحٌwounded
فَقَدْ فَقَدَ الكرى جَفْنٌ قَريحٌ
وَقَدْand indeed ألِفَhas grown accustomed to الضَّنَاwasting illness جِسْمٌa body نَحيلُemaciated
وَقَدْ ألِفَ الضَّنَا جِسْمٌ نَحيلُ
For a wounded eyelid has lost its sleep,
For the dear ones have lost a weeping eye,
and an emaciated body has grown used to wasting illness.
And a frail body has grown used to sorrow.
وصبُّكَand your ardent lover قَدْalready قَضَىhas died شَوْقاًof longing وَوَجْداًand passion
وصبُّكَ قَدْ قَضَى شَوْقاً وَوَجْداً
يَكونُmay there be لِوَجْهِكَfor your face العُمْرُlife الطَّويلُlong
يَكونُ لِوَجْهِكَ العُمْرُ الطَّويلُ
And your ardent lover has died of longing and passion;
My pouring passion for you has ended longing and ecstasy
may your face enjoy long life.
That my lifelong love for your face remains.
Sol 6.1