نَبا الجَنبُ منّي عنْ وَثيرِ مِهدِهِ

وحالَف منّي الجَفْنَ طولُ سُهادِهِ

My companionship kept me from resting in my bed

And my eyelids swore to the length of my pillow

وممّا شَجاني والشّجونُ كثيرةٌ

ولا غَرْوَ أن يَشْقَى امْرُؤٌ ببِعادِهِ

Of the many sorrows that afflicted me

It's no wonder a man suffers when parted

تذكّرْتُهُ فرْخَ القَطاةِ فأسْرعَتْ

دُموعيَ تهْمي ويْلَها لانْفِرادِهِ

I remembered him, a young bird, and quickly

My tears rushed forth, woe to their solitude

وما حالُ جِسْمٍ ظاعِنٍ حالَ بينَهُ

قَضاءٌ جَرى حَتْمًا وبيْنَ فُؤادِهِ

What's the state of a fading body when

Fate came decisively between it and its heart

إذا شِئْتُ أن أحْظى إليْهِ بنظْرَةٍ

تُسكِّنُ ما أوْرى الجَوى منْ زِنادِهِ

If I wanted to gaze upon him with a look

That would soothe the burning of longing in my chest

جعَلْتُ كِتابي ناظِري ولَحَظْتُهُ

بناظِرَةٍ منْ طِرْسِهِ ومِدادِهِ

I made my writings my eyes, glancing at him

With a gaze from his pages and ink

سَميَّ الأبِ الأحْنى وأيُّ وَسيلَةٍ

تَخُصُّكَ منْ قَلْبي بمَحْضِ وِدادِهِ

Exalted Father, what means can distinguish you

In my heart with pure affection and love

أعِنْدَكَ عبْدَ اللهِ عِلْمٌ بأنّني

رَمى الصّبْرُ منّي للأسى بقِيادِهِ

Abdullah, do you know that I

Cast off patience for grief to lead me

وقد كانَ يَشْفيني الخَيالُ إذا سرَى

وكيْفَ لجَفْني في الهَوى برُقادِهِ

Imagining him soothed me when it passed

But how can my eyelids rest without him

تَناءَيْتُ عنْ دارِ النّعيمِ لشِقْوَتي

وأسْكَنَني الرّحْمانُ شرَّ بِلادِهِ

I turned from the house of bliss in my misery

And the Merciful settled me in the worst of lands

بمُنْقَطِع الرّملِ الذي مَنْ ثَوى بهِ

فقدْ بانَ في الدُّنْيا ضَلالُ ارْتيادِهِ

In desolate sands where one who takes refuge

Wanders lost, in the mortal world and its ways

مَجالٌ لأفْراسِ الرِّياحِ إذا جَرَتْ

فليْسَ بِخالٍ ساعَةً منْ طِرادِهِ

A place for the winds’ horses when they race

No hour is empty of their pursuit

أُعانِيهِما بحْرَيْنِ بحْراً منَ العِدَى

لهُ ثَبَجٌ من بَيْضِهِ وصِعادِهِ

I suffer two seas, a sea of injustice

With white foam and murk

وبَحْراً من الماءِ الأُجاجِ تَروعُنا

رَوائِعُ من أهْوالِهِ في اشْتِدادِهِ

And a sea of bitter water that makes me shake

With dreadful terrors in its swelling

عَسى اللهُ يُدْني ساعَةَ القُرْبِ واللِّقا

ويَجْعَلُ جُهْدي في سَبيلِ جِهادِهِ

May God bring near the hour of nearness and meeting

And make my effort in the path of struggling for Him