عَلى أَيِّ غَرسٍ آمَنُ الدَهرَ بَعدَما

عَلى أَيِّ غَرسٍ آمَنُ الدَهرَ بَعدَما

رَمى فادِحَ الأَيّامِ في الغُصُنِ الرَطبِ

رَمى فادِحَ الأَيّامِ في الغُصُنِ الرَطبِ

What sapling can I trust Time with, after it

On what branch did time believe after

Hurled the days’ crushing calamity at the tender branch?

The calamitous days threw down the moist twig?

ذَوى قَبلَ أَن تَذوي الغُصونُ وَعَهدُه

ذَوى قَبلَ أَن تَذوي الغُصونُ وَعَهدُه

قَريبٌ بِأَيّامِ الرَبيلَةِ وَالخِصبِ

قَريبٌ بِأَيّامِ الرَبيلَةِ وَالخِصبِ

It withered before the branches withered, though it had known

Its promise faded before the twigs faded

Days of lush growth and plenty only recently.

Its days are near, of springtime and fertility.

كَفى أَسَفاً لِلقَلبِ ما عِشتُ أَنَّني

كَفى أَسَفاً لِلقَلبِ ما عِشتُ أَنَّني

بِكَفّي عَلى عَيني حَثَوتُ مِنَ التُربِ

بِكَفّي عَلى عَيني حَثَوتُ مِنَ التُربِ

It is grief enough for the heart, as long as I live, that I

It's enough of sorrow that I've lived, for I

With my own hand scattered earth upon my eye.

With my palms upon my eyes, scooped dust.

جَرَت خُطرَةٌ مِنها وَفي القَلبِ عَطشَةٌ

جَرَت خُطرَةٌ مِنها وَفي القَلبِ عَطشَةٌ

رَفَعتُ لَها رَأسي عَنِ البارِدِ العَذبِ

رَفَعتُ لَها رَأسي عَنِ البارِدِ العَذبِ

A fleeting thought of it came, while my heart was thirsty;

An idea flashed in me, and thirst in my heart -

At that thought, I raised my head from the cool, sweet water.

I raised my head from the cold fresh water.

وَقُلتُ لِجَفي رُدَّ دَمعاً عَلى دَمٍ

وَقُلتُ لِجَفي رُدَّ دَمعاً عَلى دَمٍ

وَلِلقَلبِ عالِج قَرحَ نَدبٍ عَلى نَدبِ

وَلِلقَلبِ عالِج قَرحَ نَدبٍ عَلى نَدبِ

And I told my eyelid, 'Send tears back over blood,'

And I said to my arid eyes, shed a tear on blood

And my heart, 'Tend the wound of one scar upon another.'

And for my heart find a cure, wound on wound.

وَمِمّا يُطيبُ النَفسَ بَعدَكَ أَنَّني

وَمِمّا يُطيبُ النَفسَ بَعدَكَ أَنَّني

عَلى قَرَبٍ مِن ماءِ وِردِكَ أَو قُربِ

عَلى قَرَبٍ مِن ماءِ وِردِكَ أَو قُربِ

And one thing that comforts the soul after you is that I

And of what makes the soul happy after you is that

Am a night’s march from the water where you drink—or nearer.

I am near water from your roses or tomb.

أَلا لا جَوىً مُسَّ الفُؤادَ كَذا الجَوى

أَلا لا جَوىً مُسَّ الفُؤادَ كَذا الجَوى

وَلا ذَنبَ عِندي لِلزَمانِ كَذا الذَنبِ

وَلا ذَنبَ عِندي لِلزَمانِ كَذا الذَنبِ

Ah, no anguish has touched the heart like this anguish,

Alas no love touched my heart like that love

Nor has Time, in my eyes, any sin like this sin.

Nor do I blame time like that blame.

خَلا مِنكَ طَرفي وَاِمتَلا مِنكَ خاطِري

خَلا مِنكَ طَرفي وَاِمتَلا مِنكَ خاطِري

كَأَنَّكَ مِن عَيني نَقَلتَ إِلى قَلبي

كَأَنَّكَ مِن عَيني نَقَلتَ إِلى قَلبي

My gaze is empty of you, and my mind is filled with you;

Except for you my glances are empty and my thoughts full

As though you had moved from my eye into my heart.

As if from my eyes you carried me to my heart.