فَما رَحِمَت يَومَ التَفَرُّقِ مُهجَتي

فَما رَحِمَت يَومَ التَفَرُّقِ مُهجَتي

وَقَد كادَ يَبكي رَحمَةً لي بَعيرُها

وَقَد كادَ يَبكي رَحمَةً لي بَعيرُها

So she showed my heart no mercy on the day of parting.

She did not pity me the day we parted,

Though her camel almost wept out of pity for me.

Though her camel was moved to tears for me.

وَلا لي رَثَت لَمّا شَكَوتُ صَبابَتي

وَلا لي رَثَت لَمّا شَكَوتُ صَبابَتي

وَلا أَطفَأَت ناراً يُشَبُّ زَفيرُها

وَلا أَطفَأَت ناراً يُشَبُّ زَفيرُها

Nor did she pity me when I lamented my longing.

She did not console me when I complained of lovesickness,

Nor did she quench a fire whose roaring breath is fanned.

Nor quench the fire whose sparks consumed me.

وَإِنّي مِنَ البَلوى أَسيرُ صَبابَةٍ

وَإِنّي مِنَ البَلوى أَسيرُ صَبابَةٍ

وَزادَت بِيَ البَلوى يَكُرُّ مُرورُها

وَزادَت بِيَ البَلوى يَكُرُّ مُرورُها

And through suffering, I am a captive of ardent longing.

For I am prisoner to a cruel beloved,

And my affliction has deepened, its course ever recurring.

And my torment grows the more she passes by.

فَلا تَعذِلوني تَكسِبونَ خَطيئَتي

فَلا تَعذِلوني تَكسِبونَ خَطيئَتي

فَحالَةُ مِثلي لِلمَماتِ مَصيرُها

فَحالَةُ مِثلي لِلمَماتِ مَصيرُها

So do not reproach me—you would incur my sin.

So do not blame me, though you add to my sin,

For the plight of one like me ends in death.

For my state can only end in death.