هذا كتابي إلى من غاب عن نظري

هذا كتابي إلى من غاب عن نظري

وشخصه في سويدا القلب والبصر

وشخصه في سويدا القلب والبصر

This is my letter to the one who has vanished from my sight,

This is my letter to one absent from my sight,

while his image dwells in the heart’s deepest core and in my pupil.

yet his form is in my heart’s core and my eye’s pupil.

ولا يَمُنّ بطيف منه يطرقني

ولا يَمُنّ بطيف منه يطرقني

عند المنام ويأتيني على قدر

عند المنام ويأتيني على قدر

Nor does he favor me with a phantom of himself to visit me by night

Nor does he favor me with a dream-image of himself to visit me

when I sleep, and come to me for even a little while.

in sleep and come to me as fate decrees.

ولا كتاب له يأتي فأسمع من

ولا كتاب له يأتي فأسمع من

أنبائه عنه فيه أطيبّ الخبر

أنبائه عنه فيه أطيبّ الخبر

Nor does any letter of his arrive, that I might hear among

Nor does a letter from him arrive, that I might hear

the tidings it bears of him the sweetest news.

the sweetest news of him among its tidings.

حتى الشمال التي تسري على حلب

حتى الشمال التي تسري على حلب

ضنّت على فلم تخطر ولم تسر

ضنّت على فلم تخطر ولم تسر

Even the north wind that travels over Aleppo

Even the north wind that travels by night over Aleppo

has begrudged me its favor: it neither passed my way nor blew.

has been ungenerous to me, neither stirring nor traveling by night.

أخصه بتحياتي وأخبره

أخصه بتحياتي وأخبره

أني سئمت من الترحال والسفر

أني سئمت من الترحال والسفر

I single him out for my greetings, and tell him

I send him my special greetings and tell him

that I have grown weary of roaming and travel.

that I have grown weary of wandering and travel.

أبيت أرعى نجوم الليل مكتئبا

أبيت أرعى نجوم الليل مكتئبا

مفكرا في الذي ألقى إلى السحر

مفكرا في الذي ألقى إلى السحر

I spend the night watching the stars, sorrowful,

I spend the night watching its stars, dejected,

pondering what I endure until the hour before dawn.

pondering what I endure until the hour before dawn.

وليس لي أرب في غير رؤيته

وليس لي أرب في غير رؤيته

وذاك عندي أقصى السؤل والوطر

وذاك عندي أقصى السؤل والوطر

I have no desire for anything but the sight of him;

And I have no desire but to see him,

that, to me, is the utmost wish and longing.

and that, for me, is the utmost wish and desire.