يَقولُ عَتيقٌ إِذ شَكَوتُ صَبابَتي

يَقولُ عَتيقٌ إِذ شَكَوتُ صَبابَتي

وَبَيَّنَ داءٌ مِن فُؤادي مُخامِرُ

وَبَيَّنَ داءٌ مِن فُؤادي مُخامِرُ

Atiq said, when I complained of my ardent longing,

Atiq said when I complained of my youth

and a sickness pervading my heart became plain:

And an ailment from my heart made itself felt:

أَحَقّاً لَئِن دارُ الرَبابِ تَباعَدَت

أَحَقّاً لَئِن دارُ الرَبابِ تَباعَدَت

أَوِ اِنبَتَّ حَبلٌ أَنَّ قَلبَكَ طائِرُ

أَوِ اِنبَتَّ حَبلٌ أَنَّ قَلبَكَ طائِرُ

Is it really true that, if al-Rabab's home has grown distant,

“Is it right that if the house of the beloved moves away

or a cord is severed, your heart takes flight?

Or a rope breaks that your heart should fly off?

أَفِق قَد أَفاقَ العاشِقونَ وَفارَقوا ال

أَفِق قَد أَفاقَ العاشِقونَ وَفارَقوا ال

هَوى وَاِستَمَرَّت بِالرِجالِ المَرائِرُ

هَوى وَاِستَمَرَّت بِالرِجالِ المَرائِرُ

Awake! Lovers have already awakened and forsaken

Be sensible - lovers have come to their senses and left

passion, and men's resolves have grown firm.

Passion, while men continue with stratagems.

زَعِ القَلبَ وَاِستَبقِ الحَياءَ فَإِنَّما

زَعِ القَلبَ وَاِستَبقِ الحَياءَ فَإِنَّما

تُباعِدُ أَو تُدني الرَبابَ المَقادِرُ

تُباعِدُ أَو تُدني الرَبابَ المَقادِرُ

Restrain your heart and preserve your modesty, for only

Control your heart and keep your honor intact

fate takes al-Rabab far away or brings her near.

For fate alone brings the beloved closer or pushes away.

فَإِن كُنتَ عُلِّقتَ الرَبابَ فَلا تَكُن

فَإِن كُنتَ عُلِّقتَ الرَبابَ فَلا تَكُن

أَحاديثَ مَن يَبدو وَمَن هُوَ حاضِرُ

أَحاديثَ مَن يَبدو وَمَن هُوَ حاضِرُ

So if you have been smitten with al-Rabab, do not become

If you have hung on to the beloved, don’t listen

the talk of desert dwellers and settled folk.

To the words of one who makes a show or pretends.

أَمِت حُبَّها وَاِجعَل قَديمَ وِصالِها

أَمِت حُبَّها وَاِجعَل قَديمَ وِصالِها

وَعِشرَتِها أَمثالَ مَن لا تُعاشِرُ

وَعِشرَتِها أَمثالَ مَن لا تُعاشِرُ

Kill your love for her, and treat your former intimacy with her

Forget her love and imagine your intimacy with her

and companionship like those with someone you do not associate with.

And company like one you don’t keep company with.

وَهَبها كَشَيءٍ لَم يَكُن أَو كَنازِحٍ

وَهَبها كَشَيءٍ لَم يَكُن أَو كَنازِحٍ

بِهِ الدارُ أَو مَن غَيَّبَتهُ المَقابِرُ

بِهِ الدارُ أَو مَن غَيَّبَتهُ المَقابِرُ

And consider her as something that never was, or as one made distant

Consider her like something that was not

by his dwelling, or one whom the graves have hidden.

Or someone the tombs have made disappear.

فَإِن أَنتَ لَم تَفعَل وَلَستَ بِفاعِلٍ

فَإِن أَنتَ لَم تَفعَل وَلَستَ بِفاعِلٍ

وَلا قابِلٍ نُصحاً لِمَن هُوَ زاجِرُ

وَلا قابِلٍ نُصحاً لِمَن هُوَ زاجِرُ

If you do not do so—and you will neither do it

If you don’t do this - and you won’t and can’t

nor accept counsel from one who admonishes—

Or accept advice from one giving counsel -

فَلا تَفتَضِح عَيناً أَتَيتَ الَّذي تَرى

فَلا تَفتَضِح عَيناً أَتَيتَ الَّذي تَرى

وَطاوَعتَ هَذا القَلبَ إِذ أَنتَ سادِرُ

وَطاوَعتَ هَذا القَلبَ إِذ أَنتَ سادِرُ

then do not disgrace yourself in plain sight: you have done what you see,

Then don’t disgrace yourself by going to her

and followed this heart while you were heedless.

And indulging this heart when you can lead.

وَما زِلتُ حَتّى اِستَنكَرَ الناسُ مَدخَلي

وَما زِلتُ حَتّى اِستَنكَرَ الناسُ مَدخَلي

وَحَتّى تَراءَتني العُيونُ النَواظِرُ

وَحَتّى تَراءَتني العُيونُ النَواظِرُ

And I did not cease until people found my visits strange,

I didn’t stop until people frowned at my visits

and until watchful eyes caught sight of me.

And eyes watched me with disapproval.”