لي صَديقٌ طرَقتهُ يَومَ جَمعٍ

لي صَديقٌ طرَقتهُ يَومَ جَمعٍ

وَاِحتِفالٍ وَمَن دَعاهُ حَصولُ

وَاِحتِفالٍ وَمَن دَعاهُ حَصولُ

I have a friend whom I visited on a day of gathering

A friend whose path I crossed one feast day

and celebration, when those he had invited were present.

When all were gathered and hunger held sway

يَتَشكّونَ شِدَّةَ الجوعِ وَالدا

يَتَشكّونَ شِدَّةَ الجوعِ وَالدا

عي لَهُم عَن مَقالَهم مَشغولُ

عي لَهُم عَن مَقالَهم مَشغولُ

They were complaining of severe hunger, while their host

They complained of hunger and thirst so dire

was too preoccupied to heed their words.

I was busy with talk and paid no heed there

ثُمَّ نادَيتُ بِالطَعامِ وَقَد كا

ثُمَّ نادَيتُ بِالطَعامِ وَقَد كا

دَت نُفوسُ الحُضّارِ جوعاً تَسيلُ

دَت نُفوسُ الحُضّارِ جوعاً تَسيلُ

Then I called out to the food, when already

Then food was served and bellies did yearn

the guests’ souls were almost flowing away from hunger:

The guests were famished, thirst made them burn

هَل إِلى نَظرَةٍ إِلَيكَ سَبيلُ

هَل إِلى نَظرَةٍ إِلَيكَ سَبيلُ

يُروَ مِنها الصَدى وَيُشفَ الغَليلُ

يُروَ مِنها الصَدى وَيُشفَ الغَليلُ

“Is there a way to get a glimpse of you,

Can I glimpse you, and thereby quench my fire?

so thirst may be quenched by it and burning thirst relieved?”

Quoth he “Nay for a bolt locks my desire

قالَ هَيهات دون ذلِكَ قُفلٌ

قالَ هَيهات دون ذلِكَ قُفلٌ

ضاعَ مِفتاحُهُ وَمَنعٌ طَويلُ

ضاعَ مِفتاحُهُ وَمَنعٌ طَويلُ

He said, “Far from it! The way is barred by a lock

The key is lost and access denied evermore”

whose key is lost, and a long-lasting ban.”