فراقٌ يا محمدُ بعد هجرِ

فراقٌ يا محمدُ بعد هجرِ

أراني عشتُ فيكَ بشرِّ دهرِ

أراني عشتُ فيكَ بشرِّ دهرِ

Parting, O Muhammad, after estrangement!

Parting, O Muhammad, after estrangement

I see that, on your account, I have lived through the worst of times.

Made me live delightfully in your company

تركتَ الرَّقَّةَ البيضاءَ شوقاً

تركتَ الرَّقَّةَ البيضاءَ شوقاً

إلى حلبٍ وما هذا بعذر

إلى حلبٍ وما هذا بعذر

You left white al-Raqqa out of longing

You left the fair complexion longing

for Aleppo—and this is no excuse.

For Aleppo though with no excuse

وكنتَ لأهلها بدراً فأَْضْحَوْا

وكنتَ لأهلها بدراً فأَْضْحَوْا

جُعِلْتُ لك الفداءَ بغيرِ بدر

جُعِلْتُ لك الفداءَ بغيرِ بدر

And you were a full moon to its people; now they are

And you were a full moon for its people then they

(May I be your ransom!) without a full moon.

I wish I could sacrifice myself for you without the full moon

علامَ ولم أَخُنْ في الحبِّ عهداً

علامَ ولم أَخُنْ في الحبِّ عهداً

طويتَ مودتي من بعد نَشْر

طويتَ مودتي من بعد نَشْر

Why, though I have broken no pledge in love,

Why did you break the pact of love

have you folded up my affection after unfolding it?

You folded up my affection after spreading

وهبني لم أَكنْ أهلاً لسطرٍ

وهبني لم أَكنْ أهلاً لسطرٍ

يُخَطُّ إِليَّ منك قبعضُ سطر

يُخَطُّ إِليَّ منك قبعضُ سطر

And suppose I was not worthy of a line

You granted me undeserved lines

written to me by you—[then] at least part of a line!

To be addressed to me in your handwriting

لأَخْمَدُ كان فيكَ أشد فجعاً

لأَخْمَدُ كان فيكَ أشد فجعاً

من الخنساءِ إذ فُجِعَتْ بِصَخْر

من الخنساءِ إذ فُجِعَتْ بِصَخْر

Indeed Ahmad [written 'Akhmad'] was more deeply stricken with grief for you

I would have felt sadder for your loss

than al-Khansa when she was bereaved of Sakhr.

Than al-Khansa' when Sakhr died