هجرتكِ يا سُولَ نفسي ولي

هجرتكِ يا سُولَ نفسي ولي

فؤاد متي تذكري يَخفقِ

فؤاد متي تذكري يَخفقِ

I have forsaken you, O my soul's desire, yet I have

Your absence has left my soul bereft

a heart that throbs whenever you are mentioned.

When, O heart, will you remember and flutter?

وما ذاك منِّي أطِّراحُ الملول

وما ذاك منِّي أطِّراحُ الملول

ولكنَّه نظرُ المُشفِقِ

ولكنَّه نظرُ المُشفِقِ

This is no weary person's rejection on my part,

It is not because of me I am restless

but the care of one who fears for you.

But because of the gaze of one caring

أخاف عليكِ فلولاكِ لم

أخاف عليكِ فلولاكِ لم

أكن أتَّقي جُلّ ما أتّقي

أكن أتَّقي جُلّ ما أتّقي

I fear for you; were it not for you, I would not

I fear for you, without you I would not

be wary of most of what I am wary of.

Fear most of what I now fear

كما تتركين بَرُودَ الشَّرا

كما تتركين بَرُودَ الشَّرا

ب ظمأى مخافة أن تَشرقي

ب ظمأى مخافة أن تَشرقي

Just as you forgo a cool drink,

As you leave behind the coolness of drink

though thirsty, for fear of choking.

Fearing thirst lest the sun should rise

فإن سَرَّ حاسدنا بُعدُنا

فإن سَرَّ حاسدنا بُعدُنا

فنحن على رغمه نلتقي

فنحن على رغمه نلتقي

So if our separation delights the one who envies us,

If our foe rejoices in our estrangement

we meet despite his wishes.

We shall meet again, his spite defying

ومهما علِمتِ فلا تجهلي

ومهما علِمتِ فلا تجهلي

فإنّ المحبّ سعيدٌ شقي

فإنّ المحبّ سعيدٌ شقي

And whatever you know, do not be unaware:

However much you know, feign ignorance

for the lover is both happy and wretched.

For the lover, though unhappy, is blessed