يا صاحبي نأى من كان في وطني

يا صاحبي نأى من كان في وطني

إليه أسكن في سري وفي علني

إليه أسكن في سري وفي علني

O my two companions, far away has gone the one who was in my homeland,

My friend, keep away from the one whose home country I dwell in

in whom I find repose, in secret and in public.

Both in secret and openly I reside with him

فإن تيممتما ارضا بها شجني

فإن تيممتما ارضا بها شجني

بالله ربكما عوجا على سكني

بالله ربكما عوجا على سكني

So if you two make for a land where my sorrow lies,

If you both happen upon a land that harbors my yearning

by God, your Lord, turn aside to my beloved.

I implore you by God, do not disturb my dwelling

وعاتباه لعل العتب يعطفه

وعاتباه لعل العتب يعطفه

وعرفاه بتنكير الهوى بكما

وعرفاه بتنكير الهوى بكما

And reproach him; perhaps reproach will soften his heart.

And reproach him, perhaps reproach may make him kind

And tell him how love has changed you both beyond recognition,

And make him aware by concealing your love for me

واظهراه على خافي نحولكما

واظهراه على خافي نحولكما

فان تألم اشفاقا لجالكما

فان تألم اشفاقا لجالكما

and reveal to him the wasting you both conceal.

And disclose to him my privations towards you both

Then, if he aches with pity for your plight,

If he feels sympathy for your state

فعرّضا بي وقولا في حديثكما

فعرّضا بي وقولا في حديثكما

ما بال عبدك بالهجران تتلفه

ما بال عبدك بالهجران تتلفه

allude to me, and say in your conversation:

Then make excuses for me and say in your discussion

'What is wrong with your servant, that you destroy him through estrangement?'

What ails your servant to be destroyed by estrangement?

وخبراه باني في مجاده

وخبراه باني في مجاده

واستعطفاه بقول في مماجنة

واستعطفاه بقول في مماجنة

And tell him that I am in earnest,

And inform him that I live in torment

and seek his tenderness with words of saucy banter.

And entreat him with words of affection

وحادثاه حديثا في ممازحة

وحادثاه حديثا في ممازحة

فان تبسم قولا في ملاطفة

فان تبسم قولا في ملاطفة

And converse with him in a joking manner;

And converse with him in playful banter

then, if he smiles, say gently:

If he smiles, speak to him gently

ما ضرّ لو بوصال منك تسعفه

ما ضرّ لو بوصال منك تسعفه

وان يقل فيكما هذا له حسب

وان يقل فيكما هذا له حسب

'What harm would it do if you granted him reunion with you?'

What harm if by his union you grant me relief?

And if he says in your presence, 'This man has noble ancestry,'

And if he says, "This one has his dignity"

قولا نعم ولنا ايضا به نسب

قولا نعم ولنا ايضا به نسب

ان يرضه ما تقولا فهو لي ارب

ان يرضه ما تقولا فهو لي ارب

say, 'Yes, and we too are kin to him.'

Say "Yes, and we too have ties to him

If what you two say pleases him, that is what I desire;

If he is pleased by your words, he is most beloved to me

وان بدا لكما من وجهه غضب

وان بدا لكما من وجهه غضب

فغالطاه وقولا ليس تعرفه

فغالطاه وقولا ليس تعرفه

and if you see anger appear on his face,

And if anger shows on his face from you both

then mislead him and say, 'You do not know him.'

Then challenge him and say "You do not know him"