أَتاني وَعَرضُ الرَّملِ بَيني وَبَينَهُ

أَتاني وَعَرضُ الرَّملِ بَيني وَبَينَهُ

حَديث لأَسرارِ الدُّموعِ مُذِيعُ

حَديث لأَسرارِ الدُّموعِ مُذِيعُ

There came to me, with the breadth of the sands between me and him,

He came to me while the sands separated me from him

news that revealed the secrets of tears.

Telling secrets of tears' sorrows broadcasting

تَصامَمتُ عَن راويهِ حَتّى أَرَبتُهُ

تَصامَمتُ عَن راويهِ حَتّى أَرَبتُهُ

وَإِنّي عَلى ما غالَني لَسَميعُ

وَإِنّي عَلى ما غالَني لَسَميعُ

I feigned deafness to its teller until I made him doubt,

I turned away from the narrator until I gained from him

yet, despite what overwhelmed me, I heard full well.

And I am listening to what costs me however high

وَقالَ رَبيعٌ ماتَ فيهِ مُسَلَّم

وَقالَ رَبيعٌ ماتَ فيهِ مُسَلَّم

فَقُلتُ لَهُ بَل ماتَ فيهِ رَبيعُ

فَقُلتُ لَهُ بَل ماتَ فيهِ رَبيعُ

And he said, “A spring in which Musallam died.”

And Rabee said, in it died Al-Musallam

So I told him, “Rather, a spring died in it.”

So I said to him, no, in it died Rabee

أَبا طاهِرٍ ما كانَ أَلأَم لَيلَةٍ

أَبا طاهِرٍ ما كانَ أَلأَم لَيلَةٍ

أَرِقتُ بِها وَالسّاهِرونَ هُجوعُ

أَرِقتُ بِها وَالسّاهِرونَ هُجوعُ

O Abu Tahir, what a cruel night it was—

Abu Tahir, no night was more painful

I lay sleepless through it, while the wakeful slept.

Than I stayed awake while the rest were asleep

فَلَهفي عَلى الآمالِ فيكَ فَإِنَّها

فَلَهفي عَلى الآمالِ فيكَ فَإِنَّها

نَوائِبُ لَم يُقدَر لَهُنَّ شُروعُ

نَوائِبُ لَم يُقدَر لَهُنَّ شُروعُ

Alas for the hopes placed in you, for they are

So my hopes in you make me covetous for they are

visitors for whom no access to water was ordained.

Misfortunes that have no foreseen beginnings

وَعَزَّ عَلى ساري الدُّجا أَن يَجوبَهُ

وَعَزَّ عَلى ساري الدُّجا أَن يَجوبَهُ

وَمالَكَ مِن دونِ النُّجومِ طُلوعُ

وَمالَكَ مِن دونِ النُّجومِ طُلوعُ

And it grew hard for the night traveler to cross the darkness,

And it was hard for the rising darkness to cover it

while you no longer rise beneath the stars.

While you have no rising but that of stars

أَلومُ عَلَيكَ الوَجدَ وَهوَ مُبَرِّحُ

أَلومُ عَلَيكَ الوَجدَ وَهوَ مُبَرِّحُ

وَأَعتِبُ فيكَ الدَّمعَ وَهوَ نَجيعُ

وَأَعتِبُ فيكَ الدَّمعَ وَهوَ نَجيعُ

I reproach my grief over you, though it is agonizing,

I blame passion though it brings delight

and chide my tears for you, though they are blood.

And blame tears though they bring relief

وَأَعلَمُ أَنّي ما مَنَحتُكَ طائِلاً

وَأَعلَمُ أَنّي ما مَنَحتُكَ طائِلاً

وَهَل هِيَ إِلّا زَفرَة وَدُموعُ

وَهَل هِيَ إِلّا زَفرَة وَدُموعُ

And I know I have given you nothing of worth—

And I know that I never granted you anything

and is it anything but a sigh and tears?

Are they not but a sigh and tears?