أَلا يا رَبعَ لُبنى ما تَقولُ

أَلا يا رَبعَ لُبنى ما تَقولُ

أَبِن لي اليَومَ ما فَعَلَ الحُلولُ

أَبِن لي اليَومَ ما فَعَلَ الحُلولُ

Ah, O dwelling-place of Lubna, what do you say?

Oh dweller of Lubna, what are you saying?

Tell me today what has become of the dwellers.

Tell me today, what has separation done?

فَلَو أَنَّ الدِيارَ تُجيبُ صَبّاً

فَلَو أَنَّ الدِيارَ تُجيبُ صَبّاً

لَرَدَّ جَوابِيَ الرَبعُ المُحيلُ

لَرَدَّ جَوابِيَ الرَبعُ المُحيلُ

For if dwellings could answer a lovesick man,

If only the abodes could answer my call,

the time-worn dwelling-place would have answered me.

The dweller would respond, though now left barren.

وَلَو أَني قَدِرتُ غَداةَ قالَت

وَلَو أَني قَدِرتُ غَداةَ قالَت

غَدَرتَ وَماءُ مُقلَتِها يَسيلُ

غَدَرتَ وَماءُ مُقلَتِها يَسيلُ

And had I been able, on the morning when she said,

If only, when she said “you betrayed” one morning

'You betrayed me,' while tears streamed from her eye,

I could prevent her tears from flowing.

نَحَرتُ النَفسَ حينَ سَمِعتُ مِنها

نَحَرتُ النَفسَ حينَ سَمِعتُ مِنها

مَقالَتَها وَذاكَ لَها قَليلُ

مَقالَتَها وَذاكَ لَها قَليلُ

I would have slit my own throat when I heard from her

I'd have sacrificed myself when hearing

her words—and that would be little to do for her.

Her accusation - though it was so little.

شَفَيتُ غَليلَ نَفسي مِن فِعالي

شَفَيتُ غَليلَ نَفسي مِن فِعالي

وَلَم أَغبُر بِلا عَقلٍ أَجولُ

وَلَم أَغبُر بِلا عَقلٍ أَجولُ

I would have quenched my soul's burning anguish over my deeds,

I healed my heartache with my actions

and would not have remained, wandering senselessly.

And did not wander mindlessly astray.

كَأَنّي والِهٌ بِفُراقِ لُبنى

كَأَنّي والِهٌ بِفُراقِ لُبنى

تَهيمُ بِفَقدِ واحِدِها ثَكولُ

تَهيمُ بِفَقدِ واحِدِها ثَكولُ

In my anguish at parting from Lubna, I am like

It's as if I’m possessed without Lubna

a bereaved mother wandering distraught at the loss of her only child.

Wandering in madness for my lost beloved.

أَلا يا قَلبُ وَيحَكَ كُن جَليداً

أَلا يا قَلبُ وَيحَكَ كُن جَليداً

فَقَد رَحَلَت وَفاتَ بِها الذَميلُ

فَقَد رَحَلَت وَفاتَ بِها الذَميلُ

Ah, O heart, alas for you! Be steadfast,

Oh my heart, woe to you, be like ice

for she has departed, and the brisk trot has borne her beyond reach.

For she left and with her went my friend.

فَإِنَّكَ لا تُطيقُ رُجوعَ لُبنى

فَإِنَّكَ لا تُطيقُ رُجوعَ لُبنى

إِذا رَحَلَت وَإِن كَثُرَ العَويلُ

إِذا رَحَلَت وَإِن كَثُرَ العَويلُ

For you cannot bring Lubna back

You cannot bear Lubna’s return

once she has departed, however great the wailing.

Though many may weep and wail.

وَكَم قَد عِشتَ كَم بِالقُربِ مِنها

وَكَم قَد عِشتَ كَم بِالقُربِ مِنها

وَلَكِنَّ الفُراقَ هُوَ السَبيلُ

وَلَكِنَّ الفُراقَ هُوَ السَبيلُ

And how long you lived—how long—close to her!

We lived so close for so long,

And yet parting is the path.

But separation is the way.

فَصَبراً كُلَّ مُؤتَلِفَينِ يَوماً

فَصَبراً كُلَّ مُؤتَلِفَينِ يَوماً

مِنَ الأَيّامِ عَيشُهُما يَزولُ

مِنَ الأَيّامِ عَيشُهُما يَزولُ

So be patient: every pair united in love, one day,

Patience - all who love will one day

among the days, will see their life together end.

See their life together fade away.