أَبكي الَّذينَ أَذاقوني مَودَّتَهُم

أَبكي الَّذينَ أَذاقوني مَودَّتَهُم

حَتّى إِذا أَيقَظوني في الهَوى رَقَدوا

حَتّى إِذا أَيقَظوني في الهَوى رَقَدوا

I weep for those who made me taste their affection,

I weep for those who let me taste their love,

until, when they had awakened me to love, they fell asleep.

Then when they woke me to passion, fell asleep,

وَاِستَنهَضوني فَلَمّا قُمتُ مُنتَصِباً

وَاِستَنهَضوني فَلَمّا قُمتُ مُنتَصِباً

بِثقِلِ ما حَمَّلوني وُدَّهُم قَعَدوا

بِثقِلِ ما حَمَّلوني وُدَّهُم قَعَدوا

And they urged me to rise; then, when I stood upright

And roused me up, but when I stood erect,

beneath the weight of the affection they made me bear, they sat down.

Bent 'neath the weight with which their love they’d loaded me, sat down.

لَأَخرُجَنَّ مِنَ الدُنيا وَحُبُّهُمُ

لَأَخرُجَنَّ مِنَ الدُنيا وَحُبُّهُمُ

بَينَ الجَوانِحِ لَم يَشعُر بِهِ أَحَد

بَينَ الجَوانِحِ لَم يَشعُر بِهِ أَحَد

I shall surely leave this world, while my love for them

I shall pass from the world, and their love in my heart

lies between my ribs, unknown to anyone.

Will remain, of which no other man will be aware.

أَلقَيتُ بَيني وَبَينَ الحُزنِ مَعرِفَةً

أَلقَيتُ بَيني وَبَينَ الحُزنِ مَعرِفَةً

لا تَنقَضي أَبَداً أَو يَنقَضي الأَبَدِ

لا تَنقَضي أَبَداً أَو يَنقَضي الأَبَدِ

I have struck up an acquaintance with sorrow

Between me and sadness is a knowledge

that will never end, unless eternity ends.

Which will never diminish, or eternity end.