أَبا مَخلَدٍ كُنّا حَليفَي مَوَدَّةٍ

أَبا مَخلَدٍ كُنّا حَليفَي مَوَدَّةٍ

هَوانا وَقَلبانا جَميعاً مَعاً مَعا

هَوانا وَقَلبانا جَميعاً مَعاً مَعا

O Abu Makhlad, we were allies in affection,

Aba Makhlad, we were allies of affection

Our love and our two hearts—all together, together.

Intimate and our hearts together as one

أَحوطُكَ بِالوُدِّ الَّذي أَنتَ حائِطي

أَحوطُكَ بِالوُدِّ الَّذي أَنتَ حائِطي

وَأَيجَعَ إِشفاقاً لِأَن تَتَوَجَّعا

وَأَيجَعَ إِشفاقاً لِأَن تَتَوَجَّعا

I protect you with the affection with which you protect me,

I surround you with the love that you are my wall

And I ache in sympathy at your suffering.

And I ache with care lest you ache too

فَصَيَّرَتَني بَعدَ اِنتِكاثِكَ مُتهِماً

فَصَيَّرَتَني بَعدَ اِنتِكاثِكَ مُتهِماً

لِنَفسي عَلَيها أَرهَبُ الخَلقَ أَجمَعا

لِنَفسي عَلَيها أَرهَبُ الخَلقَ أَجمَعا

So, after your breach of faith, you made me mistrustful

So after your withdrawal, you made me accused

Of myself; I fear all humankind for my own safety.

To myself, I frighten all people combined

غَشَشتَ الهَوى حَتّى تَداعَت أُصولُه

غَشَشتَ الهَوى حَتّى تَداعَت أُصولُه

بِنا وَاِبتَذَلتَ الوَصلَ حَتّى تَقَطَّعا

بِنا وَاِبتَذَلتَ الوَصلَ حَتّى تَقَطَّعا

You betrayed love until its foundations collapsed

You overwhelmed love until its roots collapsed

Beneath us; and you cheapened our bond until it broke apart.

Between us, and you cheapened union until it was severed

وَأَنزَلتَ مِن بَينِ الجَوانِحِ وَالحَشا

وَأَنزَلتَ مِن بَينِ الجَوانِحِ وَالحَشا

ذَخيرَةَ وُدٍّ طالَما قَد تَمَنَّعا

ذَخيرَةَ وُدٍّ طالَما قَد تَمَنَّعا

And you dislodged from among the ribs and innards

And you brought down from between the souls and the minds

A treasure of affection that had long stood impregnable.

A store of love that long was denied

فَلا تَعذِلَنّي لَيسَ لي فيكَ مَطمَعٌ

فَلا تَعذِلَنّي لَيسَ لي فيكَ مَطمَعٌ

تَخَرَّقتَ حَتّى لَم أَجِد لَكَ مَرقَعا

تَخَرَّقتَ حَتّى لَم أَجِد لَكَ مَرقَعا

So do not reproach me; I have no hope in you.

So do not blame me, I have no hope in you

You became so tattered that I could find no patch for you.

You are torn, I cannot find a patch for you

فَهَبكَ يَميني اِستَأكَلَت فَاِحتَسَبتُها

فَهَبكَ يَميني اِستَأكَلَت فَاِحتَسَبتُها

وَجَشَّمتُ قَلبي قَطعَها فَتَشَجَّعا

وَجَشَّمتُ قَلبي قَطعَها فَتَشَجَّعا

So suppose you were my right hand, eaten away: I accepted its loss,

So by my right hand that fed and then was made to go hungry

And I made my heart bear its severing; then it took courage.

And I bridled my heart, its pieces made courageous