كَتَبَت عَلى فَصٍّ لِخاتَمِها

كَتَبَت عَلى فَصٍّ لِخاتَمِها

مَن مَلَّ مِن أَحبابِهِ رَقَدا

مَن مَلَّ مِن أَحبابِهِ رَقَدا

She wrote upon the bezel of her ring:

She wrote on the stone of her ring:

Whoever grows weary of his loved ones sleeps.

“Whoever tires of his loved ones sleeps.”

فَكَتَبتُ في فَصّي لِيَبلُغَها

فَكَتَبتُ في فَصّي لِيَبلُغَها

مَن نامَ لَم يَشعُر بِمَن سهِدا

مَن نامَ لَم يَشعُر بِمَن سهِدا

So I wrote upon my bezel, that it might reach her:

So I wrote on my ring-stone, so it would reach her:

Whoever sleeps is unaware of the one who lies awake.

“Whoever sleeps is unaware of the one who stays awake.”

فَمَحَتهُ وَاِكتَتَب لِيَبلُغَني

فَمَحَتهُ وَاِكتَتَب لِيَبلُغَني

ما نامَ مَن يَهوى وَلا هَجَدا

ما نامَ مَن يَهوى وَلا هَجَدا

She erased it and inscribed another, so that it might reach me:

So she erased it and inscribed this, so it would reach me:

No one who loves has slept or slumbered.

“Whoever loves neither sleeps nor slumbers.”

فَمَحَوتُهُ ثُمَّ اِكتَتَبتُ أَنا

فَمَحَوتُهُ ثُمَّ اِكتَتَبتُ أَنا

وَاللَّهِ أَوَّلُ مَيِّت كَمَدا

وَاللَّهِ أَوَّلُ مَيِّت كَمَدا

So I erased it; then I myself inscribed:

So I erased it, then inscribed: “I,

By God, I shall be the first to die of grief.

by God, am the first to die of grief.”

قالَت يُعارِضُني بِخاتَمِهِ

قالَت يُعارِضُني بِخاتَمِهِ

وَاللَّهِ لا كَلَّمتُهُ أَبَدا

وَاللَّهِ لا كَلَّمتُهُ أَبَدا

She said, “He counters me with his ring;

She said: “He counters me with his ring;

by God, I will never speak to him again—ever.”

by God, I will never speak to him!”