1. تَطاولَ ليلي فلم أصطبرْ

    وبتُّ شجيًّا فلم أدَّثرْ

    My night grew long, and I could not endure;

    And I spent it sorrowful, without wrapping myself up.

  2. وكيف وقد عاورَتني شجونٌ

    تفتُّ الأسى بفؤادي الوَجِرْ

    And how could I, when sorrows beset me in turn,

    Grinding anguish within my fearful heart?

  3. ذكرتُ وصالَكِ قبل النَّوى

    وقبل أقاويلِ واشٍ دُحِرْ

    I recalled union with you before separation,

    And before the tales of a slanderer who was driven away.

  4. ففاضت دموعي وبان الكَرَى

    وأمكَنَ منِّي الجوى فاستمَرّْ

    Then my tears overflowed, and slumber departed,

    And heartache took hold of me and persisted.

  5. صدَقتُ الهوى وطرقتُ المنى

    فدانت إليَّ بما أنتظرْ

    I was true to love and knocked at hope's door,

    So my hopes drew near to me with what I awaited.

  6. وما العيشُ إلا وصالٌ وهجرٌ

    وقبضٌ وبسطٌ وكرٌّ وفَرّْ

    Life is nothing but union and estrangement,

    And constriction and expansion, advance and retreat.

  7. فمِن كلِّ ذلك ما نال قلبي

    فعينٌ تفيضُ وأخرى تَقَرّْ

    So my heart has had its share of all of that:

    One eye overflows, while the other rests content.

  8. فأمَّا التي هي فاضت فإني

    أذكِّرُها الصبرَ فيمن صبَرْ

    As for the one that overflowed, I

    Remind it of patience, among those who endured;

  9. وأمَّا التي هي قرَّت فإني

    أذكِّرُها الدهرَ فيمن ذكَرْ

    And as for the one that rested content, I

    Remind it of time, among those who remembered.

  10. فليس يضعضعُني عارضٌ

    وليس يغطرسُني ما يَسُـرّْ

    So no misfortune shakes me,

    Nor does what brings joy make me arrogant.