أَسَرى لِخالِدَةَ الخَيالُ وَلا أَرى

أَسَرى لِخالِدَةَ الخَيالُ وَلا أَرى

طَلَلاً أَحَبَّ مِنَ الخَيالِ الطارِقِ

طَلَلاً أَحَبَّ مِنَ الخَيالِ الطارِقِ

Did Khalida's phantom come by night? And I see no

The imagination has captivated me, and I see no ruins

Ruined dwelling dearer than the night-visiting phantom.

More beloved than the striking figments of imagination.

إِنَّ البَلِيَّةَ مَن يُمَلُّ حَديثُهُ

إِنَّ البَلِيَّةَ مَن يُمَلُّ حَديثُهُ

فَاِنشَح فُؤادَكَ مِن حَديثِ الوامِقِ

فَاِنشَح فُؤادَكَ مِن حَديثِ الوامِقِ

Indeed, the affliction is one whose talk grows tiresome;

Indeed misery awaits him whose talk is cumbersome -

So turn your heart away from the ardent lover's talk.

So cheer your heart from the conversation of the despondent.

أَهواكِ فَوقَ هَوى النُفوسِ وَلَم يَزَل

أَهواكِ فَوقَ هَوى النُفوسِ وَلَم يَزَل

مُذ بِنتِ قَلبِيَ كَالجَناحِ الخافِقِ

مُذ بِنتِ قَلبِيَ كَالجَناحِ الخافِقِ

I love you beyond the love of souls, and ever

My love for you transcends the love of souls, ever since

Since you left, my heart has been like a fluttering wing,

You were a throbbing heart in my chest.

طَرَباً إِلَيكَ وَلَم تُبالي حاجَتي

طَرَباً إِلَيكَ وَلَم تُبالي حاجَتي

لَيسَ المُكاذِبُ كَالخَليلِ الصادِقِ

لَيسَ المُكاذِبُ كَالخَليلِ الصادِقِ

In longing for you, while you paid no heed to my need.

Yearning for you in agitation while you don't care for my need -

The deceiver is not like the sincere friend.

The truthful friend is not like the liar.

هَل رامَ بَعدَ مَحَلِّنا رَوضُ القَطا

هَل رامَ بَعدَ مَحَلِّنا رَوضُ القَطا

فَرُوَيَّتانِ إِلى غَديرِ الخانِقِ

فَرُوَيَّتانِ إِلى غَديرِ الخانِقِ

Has Rawd al-Qata changed since our encampment,

Has the garden of Qata, after our halting place,

And then Ruwayyatan, as far as the pool of al-Khaniq?

Aimed at two meadows near a choking pond?

ما يُقحِمونَ عَلَيَّ مِن مُتَمَرِّدٍ

ما يُقحِمونَ عَلَيَّ مِن مُتَمَرِّدٍ

إِلّا سَبَقتُ فَنِعمَ قَومُ السابِقِ

إِلّا سَبَقتُ فَنِعمَ قَومُ السابِقِ

They pit no defiant challenger against me

Whatever defiant one clashes with me,

But I outstrip him—and how fine the winner's people are!

I preceded - so excellent are the early starters.