يا دَهرُ كَيفَ شَفَعتَ نَفساً

يا دَهرُ كَيفَ شَفَعتَ نَفساً

فَخَلَستَ فيها النَفسَ خَلسا

فَخَلَستَ فيها النَفسَ خَلسا

O Time, how did you join one soul to another,

Oh fate, how you interceded for a soul

then stealthily snatch away the soul within it,

Then secretly stole away its life

وَتَرَكتَ نَفساً لِلأَسى

وَتَرَكتَ نَفساً لِلأَسى

جَعَلَ البَقاءَ عَلَيهِ نَحسا

جَعَلَ البَقاءَ عَلَيهِ نَحسا

and leave a soul to grief

And left a soul to sorrow

that made continued life a curse for it?

Making its existence an ill omen

سَقياً لِوَجهِ حَبيبَةٍ

سَقياً لِوَجهِ حَبيبَةٍ

أَودَعتُها كَفَناً وَرَمسا

أَودَعتُها كَفَناً وَرَمسا

May rain bless the face of a beloved woman

Quenching the face of a beloved

whom I laid in a shroud and a grave.

Whom I entrusted to a shroud and tomb