قالوا الرحيلُ غداً فَشَاهِدْنَا غدا

تَرَنَا أشَتَّ نوىً وأشْجَى مَشْهَدا

They said departure is tomorrow, so we saw tomorrow

It made us yearn intensely and the scene was heartrending

قلْ كيفَ يُشْفِقُ من مكابدةِ الأَسَى

من ليس يَفْرَق من مُكَابدة العدا

Say, how can one who suffers not from inflicting pain

Feel sympathy for one suffering from an enemy’s blows

ذَكَرَ الحمى فبكى إليه صَبابةً

حتى بكى معه المُفَنِّدُ مُسْعِدا

He remembered longing, and wept for it bitterly

Until the robe-spreader wept with him, grieved

ويلاهُ من ذِكَرٍ جميعٍ شملُهَا

بَدَّدْنَ شَمْلَ دموعِهِ فتبدّدا

Woe to him from a memory whose sum

Scattered the sum of his tears so they dispersed

وطلابُهُ ما لا يُنَالُ ضلالةٌ

يا بُعْدَ ما بَيْنَ الضَّلالةِ والهُدَى

And his students, when misguided, cannot attain

O distant are misguidance and guidance!