كِتابُ مَشُوقٍ ما تَغَنَّت حَمامَةٌ

كِتابُ مَشُوقٍ ما تَغَنَّت حَمامَةٌ

مِنَ الوُرقِ إِلّا حَنَّ شَوقاً إِلَيكُمُ

مِنَ الوُرقِ إِلّا حَنَّ شَوقاً إِلَيكُمُ

A letter from a yearning man: no dove ever sings

A yearning book has not sung, like a dove,

Among the ash-gray doves without his yearning for you.

Of leaves, except longing for you

مُقيمٍ بِأَرضِ المَجزَرِيِّ وَقَلبُهُ

مُقيمٍ بِأَرضِ المَجزَرِيِّ وَقَلبُهُ

رَهينٌ بِجَرعاءِ الشَمالِ لَدَيكُمُ

رَهينٌ بِجَرعاءِ الشَمالِ لَدَيكُمُ

Dwelling in the land of al-Majzarī, while his heart

Staying in the Maghrebi’s land, his heart

Lies captive at Jarʿāʾ al-Shamāl, there with you.

Is hostage to the north wind, with you

يَحِنُّ إِذا هَبَّت شَمالٌ لِأَنَّها

يَحِنُّ إِذا هَبَّت شَمالٌ لِأَنَّها

تُؤَدّي إِلَيكُم أَو تَمُرُّ عَلَيكمُ

تُؤَدّي إِلَيكُم أَو تَمُرُّ عَلَيكمُ

He yearns when a north wind blows, because it

He yearns when a northern breeze blows

Makes its way to you, or passes over you.

Because it leads to you or passes by you