أَأَحبَابَنَا مَن غَابَ عَمَّن يَودُّهُ

أَأَحبَابَنَا مَن غَابَ عَمَّن يَودُّهُ

فَسِيّانِ عِندي بُعدُهُ واِقترابُهُ

فَسِيّانِ عِندي بُعدُهُ واِقترابُهُ

O our loved ones, whoever is absent from one who loves him—

Our loved ones, however far, are always dear

His distance and his nearness are alike to me.

Absence and presence both the same appear

إِذا المَيْتُ وَارَى شَخْصَهَ عَفَرُ الثّرَى

إِذا المَيْتُ وَارَى شَخْصَهَ عَفَرُ الثّرَى

فَهل يُدنِيَنْهُ أن يَقِلَّ تُرابُهُ

فَهل يُدنِيَنْهُ أن يَقِلَّ تُرابُهُ

When the dust of the earth has concealed the dead man's body,

When dead men mingle with the dust, think naught

Will less earth over him bring him any nearer?

That nearness shall avail the buried or the distant brought

وكلُّ غريبِ الدّارِ فالأَرضُ دونَهُ

وكلُّ غريبِ الدّارِ فالأَرضُ دونَهُ

وإِن كان حيّاً فالحِمامُ اغتِرابُهُ

وإِن كان حيّاً فالحِمامُ اغتِرابُهُ

And every exile from home has the earth between us and him;

Each stranger in a distant land, with earth must be content

And even if he is alive, his exile is death.

And far and strange the swallow's flight, however near his tent