أَلا يا نَسيمَ الرّيحِ مِن أَرض بابلٍ

أَلا يا نَسيمَ الرّيحِ مِن أَرض بابلٍ

تحمّل إِلى أَهل الخيامِ سلامي

تحمّل إِلى أَهل الخيامِ سلامي

Ah, O breeze of the wind from the land of Babylon,

O gentle breeze that blows from the land of Babylon

Carry my greetings to the people of the tents.

Carry my greetings to the people of the tents

وَقُل لِحَبيبٍ فيك بعضُ نَسيمِهِ

وَقُل لِحَبيبٍ فيك بعضُ نَسيمِهِ

أَما آنَ أَن تَسطيع رَجعَ كلامي

أَما آنَ أَن تَسطيع رَجعَ كلامي

And say to a beloved whose breath you partly bear:

And say to the beloved, in whom is some of your breeze

“Has the time not come for you to be able to answer my words?”

Isn't it time your words returned to me?

رَضيتُ وَلولا ما عَلِمتُم مِنَ الجَوى

رَضيتُ وَلولا ما عَلِمتُم مِنَ الجَوى

لَما كنتُ أَرضى مِنكُمُ بلِمامِ

لَما كنتُ أَرضى مِنكُمُ بلِمامِ

I was content; but for the heartache you knew,

I was content, had I not known the passion in you

I would not have been content with a fleeting visit from you.

I would not have been pleased with just messages from you

وَكيفَ أُطيقُ الصبرَ عمّن غَرامهُ

وَكيفَ أُطيقُ الصبرَ عمّن غَرامهُ

جَرى في عظامي وهيَ غيرُ عِظامِ

جَرى في عظامي وهيَ غيرُ عِظامِ

And how can I endure separation from one, when love for him

How can I have patience with one whose love

Has coursed through my bones, though they are not strong?

Has flowed through my bones, which are not bones

وَإنّي لأَهوى أَن أَكونَ بِأَرضِكُم

وَإنّي لأَهوى أَن أَكونَ بِأَرضِكُم

عَلى أنّني مِنها اِستَفدت سَقامي

عَلى أنّني مِنها اِستَفدت سَقامي

And I truly long to be in your land,

Indeed, I wish I were in your land

Though from it I acquired my illness.

Even though it has brought me only sickness

تُريدونَ أَن أَرضى وَما كنتُ راضِياً

تُريدونَ أَن أَرضى وَما كنتُ راضِياً

بِأنّكمُ في غَيرِ دارِ مقامِ

بِأنّكمُ في غَيرِ دارِ مقامِ

You want me to be content, yet I was not content

You want me to be content, yet I was not

With your being in a place that is no lasting home.

For you are not in the house of my dwelling

وَقد كُنتُ كالعقدِ المنظّم فيكُمُ

وَقد كُنتُ كالعقدِ المنظّم فيكُمُ

فَها أَنا ذا سِلكٌ بِغيرِ نظامِ

فَها أَنا ذا سِلكٌ بِغيرِ نظامِ

And among you I was like a necklace neatly strung;

I was like a well-strung necklace among you

So here I am, a thread with nothing strung upon it.

Yet here I am, a thread without order

فَلا برقَ إلّا خلّبٌ بَعد بَينِكم

فَلا برقَ إلّا خلّبٌ بَعد بَينِكم

وَلا عارِضٌ إلّا بياضُ جهامِ

وَلا عارِضٌ إلّا بياضُ جهامِ

So after your departure, all lightning is rainless,

So there is no lightning except the one that splits you from me

And every cloud is only the whiteness of a rainless cloud.

Nor clouds except the whiteness of my sorrows