وقائِلَةٍ وقَدْ بَصُرَتْ بَدَمْعٍ

وقائِلَةٍ وقَدْ بَصُرَتْ بَدَمْعٍ

على الخَدَّيْنِ مُنْحَدِرٍ سَكُوبِ

على الخَدَّيْنِ مُنْحَدِرٍ سَكُوبِ

And a woman said, when she caught sight of my tears,

And a woman said, having caught sight of tears

streaming down both cheeks in a pouring flood:

Streaming copiously down both cheeks:

تكذِبُ في البكاءِ وأنتَ خِلْوٌ

تكذِبُ في البكاءِ وأنتَ خِلْوٌ

قَديماً ما جَسَرْتَ على الذنُوبِ

قَديماً ما جَسَرْتَ على الذنُوبِ

“You lie in your weeping, though you are free of grief;

You lie in your weeping, though you are free of love;

long have you dared to commit sins.

You have long dared to commit sins.

قَميصُكَ والدُّمُوعُ تَجولُ فيهِ

قَميصُكَ والدُّمُوعُ تَجولُ فيهِ

وقَلْبُكَ ليسَ بالقلبِ الكَئيبِ

وقَلْبُكَ ليسَ بالقلبِ الكَئيبِ

Your shirt, with tears coursing over it,

Your shirt, with tears coursing over it,

while your heart is no grief-stricken heart,

While your heart is not a sorrowful heart,

شبيهُ قَميصِ يوسُفَ حين جاؤوا

شبيهُ قَميصِ يوسُفَ حين جاؤوا

على لَبّاتِهِ بِدَمٍ كَذُوبِ

على لَبّاتِهِ بِدَمٍ كَذُوبِ

resembles Joseph’s shirt when they came

Is like Joseph's shirt when they brought

with lying blood across its breast.”

False blood upon its breast.

دُموعُ العاشقينَ إذا تَوالَتْ

دُموعُ العاشقينَ إذا تَوالَتْ

بِظَهْرِ الغَيْبِ أَلْسِنَةُ القُلُوبِ

بِظَهْرِ الغَيْبِ أَلْسِنَةُ القُلُوبِ

The tears of lovers, when they follow one upon another,

Lovers' tears, when they flow one after another

are the hearts’ tongues, bringing the unseen to light.

Out of sight, are the tongues of hearts.