قَد خَفَّ جِرمي وَصارَ جُرمي

قَد خَفَّ جِرمي وَصارَ جُرمي

أَثقَلَ مِن هَضبَةٍ عَلَيّا

أَثقَلَ مِن هَضبَةٍ عَلَيّا

My body has grown light, and my sin has become

My sins have faded, yet my shame remains,

heavier upon me than a rocky hill.

Weighing on me heavier than mountain chains.

نَفسي أَولى بِما عَناها

نَفسي أَولى بِما عَناها

مِن هَؤُلاءِ وَهَؤُلَيّا

مِن هَؤُلاءِ وَهَؤُلَيّا

My soul has more claim to what concerns it

My soul knows best what burdens it sustains,

than these people and these little ones.

More than all those fools and foolish brains.

لَولا تَقَضّي الشَبابِ عَنّي

لَولا تَقَضّي الشَبابِ عَنّي

عَصَيتُ في الغَيِّ عاذِلِيّا

عَصَيتُ في الغَيِّ عاذِلِيّا

Had youth not passed away from me,

If not for lost youth, which from me now wanes,

I would have defied my reprovers in waywardness.

I'd disobey and mock those who complain.

فَهَل تَراني أَكونُ بَرّاً

فَهَل تَراني أَكونُ بَرّاً

لَو رُدَّ عَصرُ الصِبا إِلَيّا

لَو رُدَّ عَصرُ الصِبا إِلَيّا

So, do you think I would be righteous

Could I be virtuous if time brought me again

if the days of youth were restored to me?

The spring of youth that’s passed and left me drained?

إِيّاكَ وَالخَودَ أَن تُخَلّى

إِيّاكَ وَالخَودَ أَن تُخَلّى

مُلبِسَةً جيدَها حُلِيّا

مُلبِسَةً جيدَها حُلِيّا

Beware lest the tender maiden be left

Beware the rosy cheek left bare, my dear,

adorning her neck with jewels.

Adorned with jewels around her ears.

كَأَنَّها ظَبيَةٌ خَذولٌ

كَأَنَّها ظَبيَةٌ خَذولٌ

مُرضِعَةٌ بِالضُحى طُلَيّا

مُرضِعَةٌ بِالضُحى طُلَيّا

As though she were a gazelle apart from her herd,

She seems a doe, lazy and insincere,

nursing a little fawn in the forenoon.

Suckling babes in the morn, lacking fears.

يا هِندُ كوني مَعَ الهَوافي

يا هِندُ كوني مَعَ الهَوافي

وَجانِبي الخَفضَ يا عُلَيّا

وَجانِبي الخَفضَ يا عُلَيّا

O Hind, be among the hungry,

O Hind, be with the noble and sincere,

and shun ease, O Ulayya.

And avoid the lowly, O most dear.