دعا دمعَهن فراقٌ فجادا

دعا دمعَهن فراقٌ فجادا

وأعجلهن التَّنائي فَزَادَا

وأعجلهن التَّنائي فَزَادَا

Separation summoned their tears, and lavishly they flowed;

Parting summoned their tears, and they flowed freely.

distance hurried them on, and their tears increased.

And distance hastened them, so their tears increased.

فلم أر دمعاً كأَدْمُعِهِنَّ

فلم أر دمعاً كأَدْمُعِهِنَّ

يَهِيض الحشى ويُذِيب الفؤادا

يَهِيض الحشى ويُذِيب الفؤادا

Never have I seen tears like theirs—

So I have never seen tears like theirs,

tears that stir the innermost breast and melt the heart.

That rend the breast and melt the heart.

ولما تيقّنَّ أن الفراق

ولما تيقّنَّ أن الفراق

يزوِّد عشاقهنّ البعادا

يزوِّد عشاقهنّ البعادا

And when they knew for certain that separation

And when they became certain that parting

would equip their lovers with absence,

Would provision their lovers with distance,

تأوّلن أن لباس الحِداد

تأوّلن أن لباس الحِداد

أحقُّ بمن صيَّر الحزن زادا

أحقُّ بمن صيَّر الحزن زادا

they reasoned that the garb of mourning

They reasoned that mourning garb

best befitted one who had made grief his provision.

Was more fitting for one who made grief his provisions.

فنشَّرن ما قد طوتْ خُمْرُهنّ

فنشَّرن ما قد طوتْ خُمْرُهنّ

لِيَلْبَسْن شعرَ النَّواصي حِدادا

لِيَلْبَسْن شعرَ النَّواصي حِدادا

So they unfurled what their veils had folded away,

So they unfurled what their veils had enfolded,

to clothe the hair of their forelocks in mourning.

To wear their forelocks as mourning garb.

ولولا مُراعاة عين الرّقيب

ولولا مُراعاة عين الرّقيب

لبِسن الثيابَ جِهارا سوادا

لبِسن الثيابَ جِهارا سوادا

Were it not for regard for the watcher's eye,

And were it not for their regard for the watcher's eye,

they would openly have worn black garments.

They would have openly worn black clothes.