أَحَسَّ بِتَرْحالِي فَخافَ مَقَالا

أَحَسَّ بِتَرْحالِي فَخافَ مَقَالا

فَأَرْقَدَ عَيْنِي واسْتَزَارَ خَيالا

فَأَرْقَدَ عَيْنِي واسْتَزَارَ خَيالا

He sensed my departure, so he feared what might be said.

He felt my departure and feared what people might say

So he lulled my eye to sleep and summoned a phantom.

So he saddened my eyes and disturbed my dreams

وَسَاءَلَني عَنْ حَالَتي وَسَأَلْتُهُ

وَسَاءَلَني عَنْ حَالَتي وَسَأَلْتُهُ

فَكانَ جَوابِي لِلْحَبِيبِ سُؤَالا

فَكانَ جَوابِي لِلْحَبِيبِ سُؤَالا

And he asked me about my state, and I asked him;

He asked about my state and I asked about his

So my answer to the beloved was a question.

My answer to my beloved was but a question

وَأَيْقَظَنا رَيْبُ الزَّمانِ لِزَعْمِهِ

وَأَيْقَظَنا رَيْبُ الزَّمانِ لِزَعْمِهِ

بِأَنَّا سَرَقْنا في المَنَامِ وِصَالا

بِأَنَّا سَرَقْنا في المَنَامِ وِصَالا

And time's vicissitudes woke us, for time claimed

The suspicion of time awoke us, for it claimed

That we had stolen union in our sleep.

That in our dreams we had stolen a union