ما أَسرَعَ البَينَ بَل ما أَسرَعَ الفَرَحا

ما أَسرَعَ البَينَ بَل ما أَسرَعَ الفَرَحا

إِن كُنتُ أَرجو كَما أَخشى فَلا حَرَجا

إِن كُنتُ أَرجو كَما أَخشى فَلا حَرَجا

How swift is parting—rather, how swift is joy!

How swiftly separation came, yet how swiftly joy fled,

If I hope as much as I fear, there is no blame.

If I hoped as I feared, then no blame on me.

ما أم واحِد أمٍ لا أَنيسَ لَها

ما أم واحِد أمٍ لا أَنيسَ لَها

إِلَّا الَّذي رَسَخت بِالأَمسِ فَاِختَلَجا

إِلَّا الَّذي رَسَخت بِالأَمسِ فَاِختَلَجا

No mother of an only child—a mother with no companion—

What ails a lonely mother with no friend

Except the one she had firmly rooted yesterday [wording uncertain], who was then snatched away;

Save one whose pangs the past eve but stirred?

باتَت وَباتَ لَها هَمٌّ يُؤَرِّقُها

باتَت وَباتَ لَها هَمٌّ يُؤَرِّقُها

من عالج في بَناتِ القَلبِ قَد وَشَجا

من عالج في بَناتِ القَلبِ قَد وَشَجا

Who spent the night with a sorrow that kept her awake,

She tossed, and with her a care that racked her soul

From ʿĀlij, already entwined in the heart’s branching veins—

Seeking cure for the heart's hurt till it festered.

إِلَّا كَمِثلي وَإِن جَلَّت رَزِيتُّها

إِلَّا كَمِثلي وَإِن جَلَّت رَزِيتُّها

إِذا أَزعَجَ البَينُ مَن أَهواهُ فَاِنزَعَجا

إِذا أَزعَجَ البَينُ مَن أَهواهُ فَاِنزَعَجا

Is anything but like me, though immense is her loss,

I am hapless, yet far hap- lier than she

When parting drives away my beloved, who then departs.

When severance left my love distraught and sleepless.

نَظَرتُ يَومَ تَوَلَّت نَظرَةً عَرَضاً

نَظَرتُ يَومَ تَوَلَّت نَظرَةً عَرَضاً

وَجَدتُ في كَبِدي مِن حَرِّها وَهَجا

وَجَدتُ في كَبِدي مِن حَرِّها وَهَجا

The day she turned away, I cast a passing glance;

One day when she glanced back with passing look

I felt a blaze in my liver from its heat.

I found in my heart, from her mischief, embers.

بِمُقلَةٍ كُلَّما كَفكَفتُ دَمعَتَها

بِمُقلَةٍ كُلَّما كَفكَفتُ دَمعَتَها

هاجَت مَذاوِبها بِالدَّمعِ فَاِعتَلَجا

هاجَت مَذاوِبها بِالدَّمعِ فَاِعتَلَجا

With an eye—whenever I wiped away its tears,

With a glance, whenever I check its tearfulness,

Its channels surged with tears, and the tears churned.

Its injuries gush forth tears in frenzy.

كَأَنَّها عارِضٌ مُخضَوضِلٌ هَزِجٌ

كَأَنَّها عارِضٌ مُخضَوضِلٌ هَزِجٌ

هاجَت لَهُ حَرجَفٌ حَصباءُ فَاِنبَعَجا

هاجَت لَهُ حَرجَفٌ حَصباءُ فَاِنبَعَجا

As though it were a water-laden, rumbling cloud;

As if it were a maiden camel, aroused, excited, stirred up,

A cold, gravel-flinging gale rose against it, and it burst open.

Whose grumbling camel-maids have been excited.

تَاللَّهِ ما عَصَفَت ريح شَآمِيَةٌ

تَاللَّهِ ما عَصَفَت ريح شَآمِيَةٌ

إِلَّا تَنَسَّمتُ مِنها ريحَكَ الأَرَجا

إِلَّا تَنَسَّمتُ مِنها ريحَكَ الأَرَجا

By God, no wind from al-Shām has blown fiercely

By God, no eastern wind has blown,

Without my breathing in your fragrant scent from it.

Except I sensed from it your fragrance.

وَلا سَنا البَرقُ لي مِن نَحو دارِكُم

وَلا سَنا البَرقُ لي مِن نَحو دارِكُم

إِلَّا تَنَعَّشتُ وَاِستَقبَلتُهُ بَهِجا

إِلَّا تَنَعَّشتُ وَاِستَقبَلتُهُ بَهِجا

Nor has lightning shone for me from the direction of your dwelling

No lightning flashed for me from your abode,

Without my reviving and greeting it with joy.

Except I greeted it joyfully, revived.