قولي لطَيفِكِ يَنْثَني

قولي لطَيفِكِ يَنْثَني

عنْ مَضْجَعِي عندَ المَنامْ

عنْ مَضْجَعِي عندَ المَنامْ

Tell your phantom to turn away

Tell your beloved to turn away

from my bed at bedtime,

From my bed at nightfall

عند الرّقادْ عندَ الهُجُوعْ

عند الرّقادْ عندَ الهُجُوعْ

عند الهُجُودْ عند الوَسَنْ

عند الهُجُودْ عند الوَسَنْ

at slumber, at repose,

At slumber, at sleep

at nighttime sleep, at drowsiness.

At rest, at repose

فعسى أَنَامُ فَتَنْطَفِي

فعسى أَنَامُ فَتَنْطَفِي

نارٌ تأَجّجُ في العِظَامْ

نارٌ تأَجّجُ في العِظَامْ

So perhaps I may sleep, and it may go out—

Maybe I'll sleep and quench

a fire blazing in the bones,

A fire blazing in my bones

في الفُؤادْ في الضُّلوعْ

في الفُؤادْ في الضُّلوعْ

في الكُبودْ في البَدَنْ

في الكُبودْ في البَدَنْ

in the heart, in the ribs,

In my heart, in my ribs

in the livers, in the body.

In my liver, in my body

جَسَدٌ تُقَلِّبُهُ الأَكُف

جَسَدٌ تُقَلِّبُهُ الأَكُف

على فِراش مِنْ سَقامْ

على فِراش مِنْ سَقامْ

A body that hands turn over

A body tossed by palms

upon a bed of sickness,

On a bed of sickness

مِنْ قَتَادْ مِنْ دُموعْ

مِنْ قَتَادْ مِنْ دُموعْ

مِنْ وُقُودْ مِنْ حَزَنْ

مِنْ وُقُودْ مِنْ حَزَنْ

of thornbush, of tears,

Of yearning, of tears

of burning, of sorrow.

Of fuel, of sorrow

أَمّا أَنَا فكَما عَلِمْ

أَمّا أَنَا فكَما عَلِمْ

تِ فهلْ لِوَصْلِكِ مِنْ دَوامْ

تِ فهلْ لِوَصْلِكِ مِنْ دَوامْ

As for me, I am as you know;

As for me, as you know

so is there any permanence to union with you,

Is there any permanence to our union?

مِنْ مَعَادْ مِنْ رُجوعْ

مِنْ مَعَادْ مِنْ رُجوعْ

مِنْ وُجودْ مِنْ ثَمَنْ

مِنْ وُجودْ مِنْ ثَمَنْ

any return, any coming back,

Any return, any revisiting

any existence, any price?

Any presence, any price