ماwhat ضَرَّdid harm سَاكنُthe dweller قلبيmy heart حينماwhen بَعُداwent far away
ما ضَرَّ سَاكنُ قلبي حينما بَعُدا
لوif أنّهthat he فيin دميmy blood أوor فيin الحَشاthe breast رَقَداlay asleep
لو أنّه في دمي أو في الحَشا رَقَدا
What harm was there when the dweller in my heart went far away,
My heart's dweller was not harmed when we were far apart
If he lay asleep in my blood or deep within my breast?
As if he in my blood or in the desert sands had slept
أَهاجَهُstirred him البَرْقُthe lightning مِنfrom أشجانِsorrows مَوْطِنِهhis homeland
أَهاجَهُ البَرْقُ مِن أشجانِ مَوْطِنِه
مَنْwhoever يَسْكُنِinhabits القَلبَthe heart لاnot يَبغيwants بهِin it أَحَداanyone
مَنْ يَسْكُنِ القَلبَ لا يَبغي بهِ أَحَدا
The lightning stirred him with sorrows for his homeland.
He was stirred by lightning from the groves of his homeland
Whoever inhabits the heart wants no other there.
He who dwells in a heart desires no one else instead
ماwhat ضَرَّdid harm لوif هَجَرواthey abandoned فيناwithin us مواطِنَهُمْtheir dwellings
ما ضَرَّ لو هَجَروا فينا مواطِنَهُمْ
واalas لوعةَanguish القلبthe heart! إنَّindeed الصَّبرَpatience قدalready نَفِداran out
وا لوعةَ القلب! إنَّ الصَّبرَ قد نَفِدا
What harm would it do if they abandoned their dwellings within us?
It would not harm if they deserted their homelands in us
Alas for the heart’s anguish! Patience has indeed run out.
Oh agony of the heart! Patience has finally left
ماwhat لِلأَحِبَّةِwith the beloved لاnot يَرْعَونَthey safeguard وُدَّهُمُtheir affection
ما لِلأَحِبَّةِ لا يَرْعَونَ وُدَّهُمُ
لِمَنْfor one who تَعَلَّقَbecame attached حُبًّاin love دائمًاlasting أبداforever
لِمَنْ تَعَلَّقَ حُبًّا دائمًا أبدا
What is wrong with the beloved, that they do not safeguard their affection
The loved ones do not tend to their affection
For one who clung to them with abiding love, forever?
For he who clung to lasting love forevermore