1. أيا رب كم ذا البين قلبي يجرح

    وليل همومي ليس يجلي فيصبح

    O Lord, how often this separation wounds my heart!

    And the night of my sorrows will not lift and yield to dawn.

  2. أعاشر أقواماً على أن بعدهم

    ألذ من التقريب منهم وأصلح

    I keep company with people, though distance from them

    Is sweeter than drawing near to them, and better.

  3. أقابلهم والقلب يعرض عنهم

    وأطلبهم والنفس تأبى وتجمح

    I meet them, while my heart turns away from them,

    And I seek them, while my soul balks and runs wild.

  4. إذا ما بكيت البين يضحك بعضهم

    وآخر يروي الدمع والدمع يسفح

    Whenever I weep over separation, some of them laugh,

    And tears quench another's thirst while the tears are shed.

  5. لقد طال جورُ الدهر وهو مخادعٌ

    فيمناه تبكيني ويسراه تمسح

    Time's tyranny has indeed lasted long, and time is deceitful:

    For its right hand makes me weep, and its left wipes my tears away.

  6. فيا أنس روحي أن يكن مد بيننا

    حجاب النوى وامتد للهم أجنح

    So, O solace of my soul, if between us has been drawn

    The veil of separation, and sorrow's wings have spread,

  7. فقد تعظم الأهوال ثم تهينها

    طوال الليالي والزمان المبرح

    For terrors may grow great, then be humbled

    By long nights and tormenting time.

  8. عليك سلام اللَه ما هبت الصبا

    وما حن مشتاقٌ وناح المنوح

    May God's peace be upon you as long as the east wind blows,

    And as long as one who longs yearns and the mourner wails.