لَبِستُ عَزاءً عَن لِقاءِ مُحَمَّدٍ

لَبِستُ عَزاءً عَن لِقاءِ مُحَمَّدٍ

وَأَعرَضتُ عَنهُ مُنصِفاً وَوَدوداً

وَأَعرَضتُ عَنهُ مُنصِفاً وَوَدوداً

I clothed myself in resignation to not meeting Muhammad,

I donned mourning garb when Muhammad departed,

And turned away from him, fair-minded and loving.

Though I had turned from him impartial and friendly.

وَقُلتُ لِنَفسٍ قادَها الشَوقُ نَحوَهُ

وَقُلتُ لِنَفسٍ قادَها الشَوقُ نَحوَهُ

فَعَوَّضَها حُبُّ اللِقاءِ صُدودا

فَعَوَّضَها حُبُّ اللِقاءِ صُدودا

And I said to my soul, which longing had led toward him,

And I said to my soul whom longing had led to him,

And which love of meeting him had repaid with rejection:

"Let your love of reunion console you for one averse."

هَبيهِ اِمرءاً قَد كانَ أَصفاكِ وِدَّهُ

هَبيهِ اِمرءاً قَد كانَ أَصفاكِ وِدَّهُ

فَماتَ وَإِلّا فَاِحسِبيهِ يَزيدا

فَماتَ وَإِلّا فَاِحسِبيهِ يَزيدا

"Suppose him a man who once devoted his affection to you,

May God grant you a man who was keenest in his affection for you,

Then died; otherwise, reckon him Yazid."

But he died—or else, consider him to have changed.

لَعَمري لَقَد وَلّى فَلَم أَلقَ بَعدَهُ

لَعَمري لَقَد وَلّى فَلَم أَلقَ بَعدَهُ

وَفاءً لِذي عَهدٍ يُعَدُّ حَميدا

وَفاءً لِذي عَهدٍ يُعَدُّ حَميدا

By my life, he has departed, and after him I have not found

By my life, he has turned away and I have not found

Praiseworthy faithfulness in anyone bound by a pledge.

Loyalty to one whose pact was deemed laudable.