كَتَبتُ وَعِندي مِن فراقِكِ ما عِندي

وَفي كَبِدي ما فيهِ مِن لَوعَة الوَجدِ

I wrote, with all I suffer from parting from you,

and in my liver, all the burning anguish of longing.

وَما خَطَّتِ الأَقلامُ إِلّا وَأَدمُعي

تَخُطُّ كِتابَ الشَوق في صَفحَة الخَدِّ

The pens never traced a line but that my tears

were tracing longing’s book upon the page of my cheek.

وَلَولا طِلابُ المَجدِ زُرتُكِ طَيَّهُ

عَميداً كَما زارَ النَدى وَرَقَ الوَردِ

Were it not for the pursuit of glory, I would visit you, folding the distance away,

stricken with love, as dew visits the rose’s petals.

فَقَبَّلتُ ما تَحتَ اللثامِ مِنَ اللَمى

وَعانَقتُ ما فَوقَ الوِشاح إِلى العِقد

I would kiss the dusky lips beneath the veil,

and embrace what lies above the sash, up to the necklace.

أَغانيةً عَنّي وَحاضِرَةً مَعي

لَئِن غِبتِ عَن عَيني فَإِنَّكِ في كَبِدي

Are you absent from me, yet present with me?

Though absent from my sight, you are within my liver.

أَقيمي عَلى العَهدِ الَّذي كانَ بَينَنا

فَإِنّي عَلى ما تَعلَمينَ مِنَ العَهدِ

Remain true to the covenant that once was between us;

for, as you know, I remain faithful to the covenant.