عَبَراتٌ تَحُثُّها زَفَراتُ

عَبَراتٌ تَحُثُّها زَفَراتُ

هُنّ عنْه بألسُنٍ ناطِقاتُ

هُنّ عنْه بألسُنٍ ناطِقاتُ

Tears—sighs recount them;

Tears are urged on by sighs;

they speak of him with speaking tongues.

they speak on his behalf with tongues.

وَيْحَه إذ أطاعَه جِيدُ ظبيٍ

وَيْحَه إذ أطاعَه جِيدُ ظبيٍ

ولِواءٌ إلى الهوى مُنْصات

ولِواءٌ إلى الهوى مُنْصات

Alas for him, when a gazelle’s neck obeyed him,

Alas for him, when a gazelle’s neck obeyed him,

and a banner listened to passion.

and a banner was attentive to love.

عَطَفَ الدّهُر عطفةً فرَماه

عَطَفَ الدّهُر عطفةً فرَماه

بسهامٍ تَريشُها النّكبَات

بسهامٍ تَريشُها النّكبَات

Time turned once, then shot him

Time took a turn, then shot him

with arrows fletched by calamities.

with arrows that misfortunes fletch.

أيها الصبُّ لا تُرَعْ فالليالي

أيها الصبُّ لا تُرَعْ فالليالي

فرَحاتٌ تَشُوبُها تَرَحات

فرَحاتٌ تَشُوبُها تَرَحات

O passion-stricken lover, be not afraid, for the nights

O lovesick one, do not be frightened, for the nights

are joys that sorrows cloud.

are joys mingled with sorrows.

وكذا الحبُّ ضُحْكَةٌ وبكاءٌ

وكذا الحبُّ ضُحْكَةٌ وبكاءٌ

وكذا الدهر أُلفةٌ وشَتات

وكذا الدهر أُلفةٌ وشَتات

So too, love is a laugh and weeping;

And likewise, love is laughter and weeping;

so too, Time is intimacy and separation.

and likewise, time is closeness and separation.