كلّ يَومٍ أَروم أَن أَتَملّى

كلّ يَومٍ أَروم أَن أَتَملّى

بِمُحيّاك البدرُ لاحَ وَأَسفَرْ

بِمُحيّاك البدرُ لاحَ وَأَسفَرْ

Each day I long to gaze my fill

Every day I seek to gaze my fill

upon your countenance—the full moon appeared and shone forth.

Upon your face—the full moon has appeared and shone.

وَلَكم رمت اِحتَظي بِاِجتِماع

وَلَكم رمت اِحتَظي بِاِجتِماع

بِكَ وَالدّهر بَيننا يَتَعَذَّر

بِكَ وَالدّهر بَيننا يَتَعَذَّر

How often I have sought the joy of meeting

And how often I have sought the good fortune of meeting

you, while Fate between us proved unyielding.

With you, while Time, between us, makes excuses.

وَاللّيالي تَقول لي بِلِسانٍ

وَاللّيالي تَقول لي بِلِسانٍ

عَرَبِيٍّ أَبدى اِعتِذاراً وَأَظهَر

عَرَبِيٍّ أَبدى اِعتِذاراً وَأَظهَر

And the nights speak to me in a language—

And the nights say to me in a tongue—

Arabic—that voices an excuse and makes it plain:

Arabic—that voiced an apology and made it plain:

هاكَ عُذري فَإِن حُرِمتَ اِجتماعاً

هاكَ عُذري فَإِن حُرِمتَ اِجتماعاً

لا تَلُمني فَالاِجتِماعُ مُقدَّر

لا تَلُمني فَالاِجتِماعُ مُقدَّر

“Here is my excuse: if you are denied a meeting,

“Here is my excuse: if you are denied a meeting,

do not blame me—for meeting is foreordained.”

Do not blame me, for meeting is preordained.”