مُذْ مدةٍ ما جاءنا

مُذْ مدةٍ ما جاءنا

منكم خطوطٌ أو خبرْ

منكم خطوطٌ أو خبرْ

For some time, nothing has come to us

For a long time now,

from you—neither letters nor news.

we've had no word from you,

أَمْ كيف لا يأْتى إلي

أَمْ كيف لا يأْتى إلي

نا عنكم خبر يَسُرّْ

نا عنكم خبر يَسُرّْ

Or how is it that there does not come to

no news or letters.

us news of you that brings joy?

How is it that no cheerful report

أم عافكم عنا كما

أم عافكم عنا كما

قد عافنا عنكم كِبرْ

قد عافنا عنكم كِبرْ

Or has pride estranged you from us, just as

reaches us about you?

it has already estranged us from you?

Or have you given up on us

أَنسيتُمُ عهداً قديم

أَنسيتُمُ عهداً قديم

ا أمْ بَدَا منكمْ نظَرْ

ا أمْ بَدَا منكمْ نظَرْ

Have you forgotten an old covenant,

as we have grown indifferent to you?

or has a view emerged among you?

Have you forgotten an old bond,

أمْ غيَّر الودَّ النوى

أمْ غيَّر الودَّ النوى

أمْ رَبعٌ ودى قد دثَرْ

أمْ رَبعٌ ودى قد دثَرْ

Or has separation changed our affection,

or did some different view occur to you?

or has the abode of my love fallen into ruin?

Has affection changed its intent,

أَمْ مسَّكُمْ منا صفاءٌ

أَمْ مسَّكُمْ منا صفاءٌ

أمْ حادثٌ مِنَّا ظَهرْ

أمْ حادثٌ مِنَّا ظَهرْ

Or has sincerity from us touched you,

or has a loved one wrapped himself up and turned away?

or has some incident on our part come to light?

Did some flaw in us appear,

أَمْ قد بَدا مِنّا مَقَا

أَمْ قد بَدا مِنّا مَقَا

لٌ في عواقبه ضَررْ

لٌ في عواقبه ضَررْ

Or has a statement come from us

or did a fault surface among us,

whose consequences bring harm?

with harmful consequences in the future?

أمْ دهركم ألهَاكُمُ

أمْ دهركم ألهَاكُمُ

أَمْ قلبكم عنّا نَفر

أَمْ قلبكم عنّا نَفر

Or has your life distracted you,

Or has fate distracted you,

or has your heart recoiled from us?

or has your heart turned from us?

ولقدْ سمعت بِأَنكم

ولقدْ سمعت بِأَنكم

جِئتم إلى العلمَ الأَبرُّ

جِئتم إلى العلمَ الأَبرُّ

And I have heard that you

Yet I have heard that you

have come to the most righteous luminary.

have come into valuable knowledge -

ماذَا يضيركُمْ إذا

ماذَا يضيركُمْ إذا

عاملتموُني بالخبَرْ

عاملتموُني بالخبَرْ

What harm would it do you if

so what harm if you

you shared some news with me?

keep me informed?

ما دارَ في ضمير الفؤادِ

ما دارَ في ضمير الفؤادِ

محبكم أو ما خَطَرْ

محبكم أو ما خَطَرْ

Has your inmost heart never recalled

What has passed through the heart's thoughts,

the one who loves you—or has it never occurred

of love or ideas, about you?

في بالِكم أنِّى أنا

في بالِكم أنِّى أنا

الخِلُّ الوفيُّ وما عَدَرْ

الخِلُّ الوفيُّ وما عَدَرْ

to you that I am

What has come into your mind about me -

the faithful friend, who has never [betrayed you]?

that I am a dear friend, flawless and pure?

فبآى مَا أعرضْتمُ

فبآى مَا أعرضْتمُ

عنّي فغالتنى الفكرْ

عنّي فغالتنى الفكرْ

So why have you turned away

So why have you turned

from me? And so thoughts have overwhelmed me.

away from me, and worried my thoughts?

منحٌ قريبٌ منكمُ

منحٌ قريبٌ منكمُ

لو واحدٌ منكم أَمَرْ

لو واحدٌ منكم أَمَرْ

A favor from you is within reach,

A visit soon from you

if one of you would order

would be a boon, if one of you decided

بزيارةٍ لمحبكمْ

بزيارةٍ لمحبكمْ

كَىْ ما يكون له قَدَرْ

كَىْ ما يكون له قَدَرْ

a visit to the one who loves you,

to visit your loving friend,

so that he might be held in esteem.

so he would have worth.

لكن بحمدِ اللَّهِ أن

لكن بحمدِ اللَّهِ أن

ى لا تحركنى له قُدَرْ

ى لا تحركنى له قُدَرْ

But, praise be to God, I

But praise God that no power

am not swayed toward him by powers.

stirs me to destiny.

لا يَنْجَلى وُدِّي عن المحب

لا يَنْجَلى وُدِّي عن المحب

وبِ واصلَ أَمْ هَجَرْ

وبِ واصلَ أَمْ هَجَرْ

My love never leaves the beloved,

Affection for a friend does not disappear,

whether he stays in touch or forsakes me.

whether he draws near or turns away.

لكننّي لابدَّ لي

لكننّي لابدَّ لي

من أن أعاتبَ من نفَرْ

من أن أعاتبَ من نفَرْ

Yet I cannot avoid

But still I must reproach

reproaching whoever has turned away,

the one who shunned me,

كَىْ تَنطفى الأفكارُ

كَىْ تَنطفى الأفكارُ

عن قلبي لكى ما يَسْتِقرّْ

عن قلبي لكى ما يَسْتِقرّْ

so that these thoughts may die away

so thoughts may settle

from my heart, so that it may rest.

and calm my heart.