مَن لِقَلبٍ أَمسى حَزيناً مُعَنّى

مَن لِقَلبٍ أَمسى حَزيناً مُعَنّى

مُستَكيناً قَد شَفَّهُ ما أَجَنّا

مُستَكيناً قَد شَفَّهُ ما أَجَنّا

Who will tend the heart, grown sorrowful and tormented,

Who will help a heart grown sorrowful and tormented,

broken and submissive, worn thin by what it conceals?

Subdued, worn thin by what it has concealed,

إِثرَ شَخصٍ نَفسي فَدَت ذاكَ شَخصاً

إِثرَ شَخصٍ نَفسي فَدَت ذاكَ شَخصاً

نازِحَ الدارِ بِالمَدينَةِ عَنّا

نازِحَ الدارِ بِالمَدينَةِ عَنّا

Yearning after one—may my soul ransom that person—

Pining after someone—may my soul ransom that person—

whose dwelling is distant, in Medina, far from us.

Whose dwelling in Medina lies far from us?

أَن أَراهُ وَاللَهُ يَعلَمُ يَوماً

أَن أَراهُ وَاللَهُ يَعلَمُ يَوماً

مُنتَهى رَغبَتي وَما أَتَمَنّى

مُنتَهى رَغبَتي وَما أَتَمَنّى

To see him—God knows—one day

To see that person one day—God knows—

is the utmost of my longing and all I desire.

Is my utmost desire and all I wish for.

لَيتَ حَظّي كَطَرفَةِ العَينِ مِنها

لَيتَ حَظّي كَطَرفَةِ العَينِ مِنها

وَكَثيرٌ مِنها القَليلُ المُهَنّا

وَكَثيرٌ مِنها القَليلُ المُهَنّا

Would that my share of it were but an eye’s blink;

If only my share of her were an eye's blink—

even the smallest untroubled share would be abundance.

And even a little from her, sweetly enjoyed, is much—

أَو حَديثٍ عَلى خَلاءٍ يُسَلّي

أَو حَديثٍ عَلى خَلاءٍ يُسَلّي

ما أَجَنَّ الضَميرَ مِنها وَمَنّا

ما أَجَنَّ الضَميرَ مِنها وَمَنّا

Or a private conversation that might soothe

Or a private conversation that might soothe

the secrets my heart conceals of him and of us.

What has maddened the heart for her and worn it down.

أَنَرى نِعمَةً نَراها عَلَينا

أَنَرى نِعمَةً نَراها عَلَينا

مِنكَ يَوماً قَبلا المَماتِ وَمِنّا

مِنكَ يَوماً قَبلا المَماتِ وَمِنّا

Shall we ever see a blessing bestowed upon us

Shall we ever see a kindness bestowed upon us,

from you, one day before death, as an act of grace?

From you someday before death—and from us in return?

خَبِّرينا بِما كَتَبتِ إِلَينا

خَبِّرينا بِما كَتَبتِ إِلَينا

أَهُوَ الحَقُّ أَم تَهَزَّأتِ مِنّا

أَهُوَ الحَقُّ أَم تَهَزَّأتِ مِنّا

Tell us about what you wrote to us:

Tell us about what you wrote to us:

was it true, or were you mocking us?

Is it true, or were you mocking us?

ما نَرى راكِباً يُخَبِّرُ عَنكُم

ما نَرى راكِباً يُخَبِّرُ عَنكُم

أَو يُريدُ الحِجازَ إِلّا حِزَنّا

أَو يُريدُ الحِجازَ إِلّا حِزَنّا

We never see a rider bringing news of you,

We see no rider bringing news of you,

or one bound for the Hijaz, without grieving.

Or bound for the Hijaz, without grieving.

ثُمَّ ما نِمتُ بَعدَكُم مِن مَنامٍ

ثُمَّ ما نِمتُ بَعدَكُم مِن مَنامٍ

مُنذُ فارَقتُ أَرضَكُم مُطمَئِنّا

مُنذُ فارَقتُ أَرضَكُم مُطمَئِنّا

And away from you I have not slept a single sleep

And since parting from you, not once have I slept

since I left your land, tranquil and at ease.

In peace, since I left your land.

ثُمَّ ما تُذكَرينَ لِلقَلبِ إِلّا

ثُمَّ ما تُذكَرينَ لِلقَلبِ إِلّا

زيدَ شَوقاً إِلَيكُمُ وَاِستُجِنّا

زيدَ شَوقاً إِلَيكُمُ وَاِستُجِنّا

And whatever you recall to the heart only makes it

And never are you mentioned to the heart

grow in longing for you and go mad.

But its longing for you grows, and it is driven mad.

ذاكَ أَنّي ذَكَرتُ قَبلَكِ يَوماً

ذاكَ أَنّي ذَكَرتُ قَبلَكِ يَوماً

يا صَفِيَّ الفُؤادِ لا تَنسِيَنّا

يا صَفِيَّ الفُؤادِ لا تَنسِيَنّا

That is because, one day before you, I had said:

That is because I once remembered before you did;

O cherished one of my heart, do not forget us.

O beloved of my heart, do not forget us.