1. الموتُ دون تفَرُّقِ الأحبابِ

    وعذابُ نأيهمُ أشدُّ عذابِ

    Death is less grievous than the parting of loved ones,

    and the torment of their distance is the harshest torment.

  2. لم تُبْلَ مذ خُلقتْ نفوسُ ذوي الهوى

    يوماً بمثل ترحُّلٍ وذَهابِ

    Never since their creation have lovers’ souls been tried

    on any day by anything like departure and going away.

  3. بانوا بلُبِّكَ رائحين وخَلَّفوا

    لك دمعةً موصولةَ التَّسكابِ

    They departed, carrying off your reason as they went, and left

    you a tear whose flow is unbroken.

  4. فسقاهُمُ نوءُ السّماك بما سَقوا

    خدَّيكَ بالعبرات صوبَ سحابِ

    So may al-Simāk’s rains water them—in return for their watering

    your cheeks with tears—with a downpour from the clouds.