وحمائمٍ ناحتْ على فَنَنِ

وحمائمٍ ناحتْ على فَنَنِ

فبعثن لي حزناً إِلى حَزَنِ

فبعثن لي حزناً إِلى حَزَنِ

And doves lamented on a bough,

Doves cried over the past days,

So they stirred in me sorrow upon sorrow.

So they brought me sorrow upon sorrow.

ناحتْ ونُحتُ وفي البكا فرج

ناحتْ ونُحتُ وفي البكا فرج

فظللت أُسعدها وتسعدني

فظللت أُسعدها وتسعدني

They lamented, and I lamented; in weeping there is relief.

They cried and I cried, and in crying there was relief,

So I kept joining their lament, and they joined mine.

So I made them happy and they made me happy.

شتَّى الهوى والشوقُ يجمعنا

شتَّى الهوى والشوقُ يجمعنا

كلٌّ بكى منّا على شجن

كلٌّ بكى منّا على شجن

Our loves differ, yet longing unites us.

Various desires and longing bring us together.

Each of us wept over a sorrow.

Each of us cried over the other's grief.