يدُ الغرام عَلت يوم الوداعِ يدي

يدُ الغرام عَلت يوم الوداعِ يدي

فسرتُ في أسرِ جيش الشوقِ والكمَدِ

فسرتُ في أسرِ جيش الشوقِ والكمَدِ

Passion's hand rose above mine on the day of farewell.

The hand of passion rose on the day of farewell over my hand

So I journeyed, captive to the army of longing and anguish.

So I marched as a captive of the army of longing and determination

ولم أزل واثقاً بالصبر يُنجدُني

ولم أزل واثقاً بالصبر يُنجدُني

أو التجلُّدِ حتى خانَني جَلَدي

أو التجلُّدِ حتى خانَني جَلَدي

And I kept trusting patience to come to my aid,

And I remained confident that patience would help me

or steadfastness, until my endurance betrayed me.

Or composure, until my own composure betrayed me

وما تبيَّنت بيناً على ديارِهُم

وما تبيَّنت بيناً على ديارِهُم

حتى تبيَّنتُ بين الرُّوح عن جَسَدي

حتى تبيَّنتُ بين الرُّوح عن جَسَدي

And I did not discern parting at their dwellings

And I did not become clear-sighted about their homes

until I discerned the soul's parting from my body.

Until I became clear-sighted about the spirit's separation from my body

وهم وإن بَعُدوا عني فإنَّهم

وهم وإن بَعُدوا عني فإنَّهم

مني لأقربُ ما كانوا على البعُدِ

مني لأقربُ ما كانوا على البعُدِ

And though they have grown distant from me, they are indeed

And though they are far from me, yet they

nearer to me than ever, despite the distance.

Are closer than they were at the distance

ومَسلكٍ أبَت الريحُ السلوكَ به

ومَسلكٍ أبَت الريحُ السلوكَ به

خوفاً ولو قطعَته الريحُ لم تعُدِ

خوفاً ولو قطعَته الريحُ لم تعُدِ

And a path the wind refused to travel

And a path the wind refused to blow along

out of fear—and had the wind crossed it, it would not have returned—

Fearfully, and if the wind had crossed it, it would not have returned

قطعتُه وأسود الوحشِ لائذةٌ

قطعتُه وأسود الوحشِ لائذةٌ

بجانبي إذ رأت قصدي إلى أسَدِ

بجانبي إذ رأت قصدي إلى أسَدِ

I crossed it, while the lions of the wild sought refuge

I crossed it while the beasts of the wilderness took refuge

at my side, when they saw me heading toward a lion.

Beside me when they saw my intent for the lion