أَلا ياكاهِنَ المِصرِ ال

أَلا ياكاهِنَ المِصرِ ال

لَذي يَنظُرُ في الزَيتِ

لَذي يَنظُرُ في الزَيتِ

Listen, O diviner of the city,

Oh priest who sees the future in oil

who gazes into oil:

Do you see me living until

تُراني عائِشاً حَتّى

تُراني عائِشاً حَتّى

أَرى عَبدَةَ في البَيتِ

أَرى عَبدَةَ في البَيتِ

do you see me living long enough

I see Abda in the house?

to see Abda in the house?

He said come closer, I see death

فَقالَ اِدنُ أَرى مَوتاً

فَقالَ اِدنُ أَرى مَوتاً

وَدَوراً سابِقَ المَوتِ

وَدَوراً سابِقَ المَوتِ

He said, "Come near: I see death,

And fate faster than death.

and a bout before death."

A neighbor whose voice we know

وَقَد قالَت لَنا جارِ

وَقَد قالَت لَنا جارِ

يَةٌ تَعرِفُ في الصَوتِ

يَةٌ تَعرِفُ في الصَوتِ

And a slave girl had told us,

Said, do you cry from missing love?

one versed in the voice:

Don't cry from what you missed.

أَمِن فَوتِ الهَوى تَبكي

أَمِن فَوتِ الهَوى تَبكي

فَلا تَبكِ مِنَ الفَوتِ

فَلا تَبكِ مِنَ الفَوتِ

"Do you weep because love has eluded you?

I will sneak her to you

Then do not weep over its loss.

Even if she's on a whale.

سَأَرقيها فَتَأتيكَ

سَأَرقيها فَتَأتيكَ

وَلَو كانَت عَلى حوتِ

وَلَو كانَت عَلى حوتِ

I will cast a charm on her, and she will come to you,

So I said walk straight for us

even if she were on a whale."

With what you fasted and prayed.

فَقُلتُ اِمشي لَنا قَصداً

فَقُلتُ اِمشي لَنا قَصداً

بِما صُمتِ وَصَلَّيتِ

بِما صُمتِ وَصَلَّيتِ

So I said, "Go straight on our behalf,

Oh, how good your words are,

by your fasting and your prayers.

How you bring glad tidings and wishes.

فَيا حُسناً لِما قُلتِ

فَيا حُسناً لِما قُلتِ

وَبَشَّرتِ وَمَنَّيتِ

وَبَشَّرتِ وَمَنَّيتِ

How lovely was what you said,

When worries come to us you are

the good news and hopes you offered!

With worries, so you inspire hope.

إِذا هَمَّت بِنا كُنتِ

إِذا هَمَّت بِنا كُنتِ

مَعَ الهَمِّ فَأَملَيتِ

مَعَ الهَمِّ فَأَملَيتِ

Whenever she thought of us, you were

If forgetfulness takes her you

with that thought, and you let it linger.

Remind and name her.

وَإِن مالَ بِها النِسيا

وَإِن مالَ بِها النِسيا

نُ ذَكَّرتِ وَسَمَّيتِ

نُ ذَكَّرتِ وَسَمَّيتِ

And if forgetfulness drew her away,

Life is sweet for me through her

you reminded her and named me.

With what she blocked and dammed.

وَطابَ العَيشُ لي مِنها

وَطابَ العَيشُ لي مِنها

بِما سَدَّت وَسَدَّيتِ

بِما سَدَّت وَسَدَّيتِ

And life was sweet for me through her,

Take my love for what you tested me with

through the kindness she bestowed and you bestowed.

And entrusted me to and made first.

خُذي وُدّي بِما أَبلَي

خُذي وُدّي بِما أَبلَي

تِني فيهِ وَأَولَيتِ

تِني فيهِ وَأَولَيتِ

Accept my affection for what you have done

Oh, if only what is hidden

for me in this, and what you have bestowed.

Were like what you started and founded.

أَلا يا لَيتَ ما يَخفى

أَلا يا لَيتَ ما يَخفى

كَما أَبدَت وَأَبدَيتِ

كَما أَبدَت وَأَبدَيتِ

Ah, if only what lies hidden

She said, from what we were lead

were as she revealed, and as you revealed!"

To you the soul is made of if only.

فَقالَت في الَّذي سُقنا

فَقالَت في الَّذي سُقنا

إِلَيكَ الرَوحُ مِن لَيتِ

إِلَيكَ الرَوحُ مِن لَيتِ

Then she said, "In what we have brought

you lies relief from 'if only.'"