وافى خَيالُكَ يا سَعاد

وَهناً وَقَد غَفِلَ السُهّاد

Your phantom came to me, O Suʿad,

late at night, when even the sleepless had dozed.

وَسَخا بِطَيفِكَ بِعَدما

ضَنَّ الزَمانُ بِكَ الرُقاد

Sleep bestowed your apparition generously, after

time had begrudged me you.

حَيّا فَأَحيا لَوعَةً

قَد كانَ أَلحَدَها الفُؤاد

It greeted me, and so revived an anguish

the heart had once entombed.

وَأَجَدَّ في جَسَدي ضَنّاً

قَد كانَ أَخلَقَهُ البِعاد

It renewed within my body a wasting sickness

that separation had already worn threadbare.

وَسَرى وَقَلبي في حَبا

ثَلِ أَسرِهِ عَنقاً يَقاد

It journeyed by night, while my heart, in the snares

of its captivity, was led along by the neck.

أَغراهُ في تَلَفي بِأَنَّ

قَتيلَ حُبِّكَ لا يُقاد

It was emboldened to destroy me by the knowledge that

no blood-requital is exacted for one slain by your love.

واهاً لِأَيّامٍ مَضَت

لَو أَنَّ فائِتَها يُعاد

Alas for days gone by—

if only what is lost of them could be restored—

وَلِعيشَةٍ سَلَفت لَنا

لَو لَم يُعاجِلها النِقاد

and for a life once ours,

if only its ending had not overtaken it so soon.