أتهجر من تحب وأنت جار

أتهجر من تحب وأنت جار

وتطلبهم وقد بعد المزار

وتطلبهم وقد بعد المزار

Do you forsake the one you love while you are a neighbor,

You abandon those you love though you are their neighbor,

and seek them when the place you would visit has grown distant,

And you seek them though their tombs are far away.

وتسكن بعد تأيهم اشتياقاً

وتسكن بعد تأيهم اشتياقاً

وتسأل في المنازل أين ساروا

وتسأل في المنازل أين ساروا

and dwell in longing after their [departure?],

You yearn for them though long has been their passing,

and ask among the dwellings where they have gone?

And ask of their homes “Where did they go?”

تركت سؤالهم وهم جميع

تركت سؤالهم وهم جميع

وترجو أن تخبرك الديار

وترجو أن تخبرك الديار

You neglected to ask them while they were all together,

You ceased to ask after them though all were present,

and hope the dwellings will tell you.

Hoping the abodes would tell you where they fared.

فأنت كمشتري أثر بعينٍ

فأنت كمشتري أثر بعينٍ

فقلبك بالصبابة مستطار

فقلبك بالصبابة مستطار

So you are like one who buys a trace in exchange for the thing itself,

You are like a tracker with defective vision,

and so your heart is swept away by longing.

Your heart distraught like one intoxicated.

فنفسك لم ولا تلم المطايا

فنفسك لم ولا تلم المطايا

ومت أسفاً فقد حق الحذار

ومت أسفاً فقد حق الحذار

So blame yourself, and do not blame the mounts;

You did not curb your steed nor take heed of caution,

and die of grief, for dread is justified.

And died agonized, having ignored the warning.

سمعت بنأيهم وظللت حياً

سمعت بنأيهم وظللت حياً

فقدتك كيف يهنيك القرار

فقدتك كيف يهنيك القرار

You heard of their departure and remained alive!

You heard of their departure yet remained alive,

May I lose you! How can repose please you?

How can you find comfort in the dwellings?

إذا ما الصب أسلمه صدود

إذا ما الصب أسلمه صدود

إلى بين فمهجته جبار

إلى بين فمهجته جبار

When rejection hands the lovesick lover over

When the period of youth escapes its defender

to separation, his heart's blood is shed without redress.

And falls into the jaws of a tyrannical elder.

تباعد من هويت وأنت دانٍ

تباعد من هويت وأنت دانٍ

فلا تتعب فليس لك اعتذار

فلا تتعب فليس لك اعتذار

The one you loved drew away while you were near,

You distance yourself from your love though you are close,

so do not weary yourself, for you have no excuse.

Do not weary yourself, you have no excuse.

إذا ما بان من تهوى فولى

إذا ما بان من تهوى فولى

ولج بك الهوى فالصبر عار

ولج بك الهوى فالصبر عار

When the one you love departs and turns away,

If one you desire turns away,

and passion presses upon you relentlessly, then patience is a disgrace.

Passion has shamed you, and patience is disgrace.