حـرتُ في أمـري لماذا

لاأرى في الـود قربا

I am bewildered by my state; why

do I see no closeness in this affection?

كلما ازددت شـبـرا

منك حتماً زدتُ عُتْبا

Whenever I advance by a single span,

I inevitably incur more reproach from you.

حيـن نلنـا منك حظاً

هَبّت الأحـزانُ هَبّـا

Whenever we attained a share of your grace,

sorrows blew in like a fierce gale.

فمـتى اشتقتُ شرقـا

دون سُؤْلٍ سِرْتَ غربا

So whenever my longing points eastward,

without a word, you journey to the west.

ياحبيـبي لا تمـتـنـي

خَلِّ في الأنفاس حبـا

O my beloved, do not leave me to die;

keep a trace of love within these breaths,

وامْـحُ عني ذُلَّ ضيْـمٍ

إنَّ حـبي صـار كربا

and erase from me the humiliation of injustice,

for my love has turned into sheer anguish.

عُدْ معي فالعَـوْدُ حـَقٌّ

واقـعٌ ماكـان رَيْبـا

Return with me, for returning is only right,

an undeniable reality devoid of doubt.

أنصفـوني ياشـهودي

من حبيبٍ شَـنَّ حربا

Do me justice, O my witnesses,

against a beloved who has waged a war.

قد رمـى قلبـي بجمـرٍ

فاكتوى غـيظا ولَبَّـى

He has hurled glowing embers at my heart;

it seared with anguish, yet still answered the call.

لا تلمـنـي في هـوانا

قد غُلِـبْنا فيه غلبـا

Do not blame me for our passion,

for we have been utterly defeated by it.

كال لي سـوط عـذابٍ

صَبَّ فـوقي منه صَبّا

He meted out for me a whip of torment,

pouring it down upon me relentlessly.