هبْ أَنَّ مِصرَ جِنانُ الخُلدِ ما اشتهتِ الن

نُفوسُ فيها من اللّذّاتِ مَوجودُ

Suppose Egypt were the gardens of eternity, with all that souls desire

of delights present within it—

ماذا انْتفاعِي إذا كانت زَخَارِفُها

موجودةً وحبيبُ النفسِ مفقودُ

what use is it to me, if all its adornments are

present, while the soul's beloved is absent?

وما الحياةُ لمن بانت أَحِبَّتَهُ

رِضاً ولا هو في الأَحياءِ معدُودُ

Life, for one whose loved ones have gone from him, is

no contentment; nor is he numbered among the living.