اصدَت غداة الجِزع ذي الطَلح زَينب

اصدَت غداة الجِزع ذي الطَلح زَينب

تُقَطِّع مِنها حَبلُها ام تقضَّبُ

تُقَطِّع مِنها حَبلُها ام تقضَّبُ

Did Zaynab turn away that morning at the acacia-lined valley bend?

Zainab cried bitterly at dawn,

Is her cord being severed from her, or cut off?

Should she cut her rope, or be patient?

وَقَد عبِثتَ فيما مَضى وَهيَ خلة

وَقَد عبِثتَ فيما مَضى وَهيَ خلة

صَديق لَنا أَو ذاكَ ما كنت احسِبُ

صَديق لَنا أَو ذاكَ ما كنت احسِبُ

And you dallied in days gone by, while she was a beloved,

You have trifled in the past, though she was a dear

A friend to us—or that was what I used to think.

Friend to us, or was that not what I thought?

تَرى عَجَباً في غِبطَة ان نَزورُها

تَرى عَجَباً في غِبطَة ان نَزورُها

وَنَحنُ بِها مِنها اسرُّ واعجَبُ

وَنَحنُ بِها مِنها اسرُّ واعجَبُ

She marvels with delight that we visit her,

Strange that we would visit her in her joy

And we are more delighted with her, and more amazed, than she is.

When with her, we were more secretive and amazed

وَفي الرَكب جُثماني وَنَفسي رَهينَة

وَفي الرَكب جُثماني وَنَفسي رَهينَة

لِزَينَب لَم اِذهَب بِها حينَ اِذهبُ

لِزَينَب لَم اِذهَب بِها حينَ اِذهبُ

And my body is with the caravan, while my soul is held hostage

In the caravan lies my body and soul hostage

To Zaynab; I did not take it with me when I departed.

To Zainab - I did not take them when I left

فَبانَت وَلا يُنسيكَها النَأي اِنَّها

فَبانَت وَلا يُنسيكَها النَأي اِنَّها

عَلى نَأيِها نَصب لِقَلبِكَ مُنصب

عَلى نَأيِها نَصب لِقَلبِكَ مُنصب

So she departed, yet distance does not make you forget her; indeed, she is

So she appeared, absence cannot make you forget her

Despite her distance, a torment that wearies your heart.

In her absence, it set up in your heart a monument