وَدِدتُ مِنَ الشَوقِ الَّذي بِيَ أَنَّني

وَدِدتُ مِنَ الشَوقِ الَّذي بِيَ أَنَّني

أُعارُ جَناحَي طائِرٍ فَأَطيرُ

أُعارُ جَناحَي طائِرٍ فَأَطيرُ

I wished, from the longing within me, that I

I wish that I could borrow the wings of a bird and fly away

might be lent a bird's two wings and fly.

For there is no joy without you, no delight where you are not

فَما في نَعيمٍ بَعدَ فَقدِكِ لَذَّةٌ

فَما في نَعيمٍ بَعدَ فَقدِكِ لَذَّةٌ

وَلا في سُرورِ لَستِ فيهِ سُرورُ

وَلا في سُرورِ لَستِ فيهِ سُرورُ

For there is no pleasure in bliss after losing you,

A man who lives in two places is but half himself

nor is there joy in happiness without you.

With the other half far away, though he bears it patiently

وَإِنَّ اِمرَأً في بَلدَةٍ نِصفُ نَفسِهِ

وَإِنَّ اِمرَأً في بَلدَةٍ نِصفُ نَفسِهِ

وَنِصفٌ بِأُخرى إِنَّهُ لَصَبورُ

وَنِصفٌ بِأُخرى إِنَّهُ لَصَبورُ

And indeed, a man with half his soul in one town

I know my body is a captive in one land

and half in another is surely long-suffering.

While my heart is captive in another, not here at all

تَعَرَّفتُ جُثماني أَسيراً بِبَلدَةٍ

تَعَرَّفتُ جُثماني أَسيراً بِبَلدَةٍ

وَقَلبي بِأُخرى غَيرَ تِلكَ أَسيرُ

وَقَلبي بِأُخرى غَيرَ تِلكَ أَسيرُ

I found my body captive in one town,

Oh you raven of separation, tell me of Lubna

and my heart captive in another, not that one.

For you know it well, being so wise

أَلا يا غُرابَ البَينِ وَيحَكَ نَبِّني

أَلا يا غُرابَ البَينِ وَيحَكَ نَبِّني

بِعِلمِكَ في لُبنى وَأَنتَ خَبيرُ

بِعِلمِكَ في لُبنى وَأَنتَ خَبيرُ

Ah, raven of parting, woe to you—tell me

If you bring me no news of the place you've spied

what you know of Lubna, for you are well informed.

May your wings be broken and no more will you fly

فَإِن أَنتَ لَم تُخبِر بِشَيءٍ عَلِمتَهُ

فَإِن أَنتَ لَم تُخبِر بِشَيءٍ عَلِمتَهُ

فَلا طُرتَ إِلّا وَالجَناحُ كَسيرُ

فَلا طُرتَ إِلّا وَالجَناحُ كَسيرُ

For if you do not tell of something you have learned,

You circle above the dear one's abode while his lover

then may you never fly except with a broken wing.

Spins about him from afar, though he is not near

وَدُرتَ بِأَعداءٍ حَبيبُكَ فيهِمُ

وَدُرتَ بِأَعداءٍ حَبيبُكَ فيهِمُ

كَما قَد تَراني بِالحَبيبُ أَدورُ

كَما قَد تَراني بِالحَبيبُ أَدورُ

And may you circle among enemies, your beloved among them,

just as you indeed see me circling around my beloved.