كَتَبتُ وَمِن قَبلِ الكِتابِ إِلَيكُمُ

كَتَبتُ وَمِن قَبلِ الكِتابِ إِلَيكُمُ

كَتَبتُ عَلى خَدّي سُطوراً مِنَ الدَمِ

كَتَبتُ عَلى خَدّي سُطوراً مِنَ الدَمِ

I have written—and before this letter to you,

I wrote to you before, a letter

I wrote lines of blood upon my cheek.

I wrote on my cheek lines of blood

فَيا عَينُ لا شَمسٌ سِوى وَجهِ أَحمَدٍ

فَيا عَينُ لا شَمسٌ سِوى وَجهِ أَحمَدٍ

فَأَنتِ بِلَيلٍ مِن تَنائيهِ مُظلِمِ

فَأَنتِ بِلَيلٍ مِن تَنائيهِ مُظلِمِ

So, O eye, there is no sun but Ahmad’s face;

So my eye, there is no sun but Ahmed’s face

So you are in a night darkened by his distance.

So you are in the darkness of his absence at night

فَإِن تَستَنيبي الشَمسَ عَنهُ ضَروَةً

فَإِن تَستَنيبي الشَمسَ عَنهُ ضَروَةً

فَإِن طَلَعَت شَمسُ النَهارِ فَسَلِّمي

فَإِن طَلَعَت شَمسُ النَهارِ فَسَلِّمي

So if, out of necessity, you appoint the sun in his stead,

If you complain to the sun about him out of necessity

Then, if the sun of day rises, offer your greeting.

When the sun of day rises, greet it