أَفدي رَشأً لِوَصلِهِ أَحتالُ

أَفدي رَشأً لِوَصلِهِ أَحتالُ

لا يمكنني بِظِلِّهِ اِستِظلالُ

لا يمكنني بِظِلِّهِ اِستِظلالُ

I would give my life for a young gazelle; I scheme to unite with him.

I struggle to reach his union though it’s far

I cannot take shelter in his shade.

In his shadow I cannot find comfort

لَم أَدرِ وَدونَ وَصلِهِ أَهوالُ

لَم أَدرِ وَدونَ وَصلِهِ أَهوالُ

ماذا فَعَلَ القَومُ وَكَيفَ الحالُ

ماذا فَعَلَ القَومُ وَكَيفَ الحالُ

I did not know—with terrors barring union with him—

Without his union what horrors there are

what the people had done, and how things stood.

What has happened to the people, how goes the state