قد كنتُ أبكي منْ صريمةِ خُلَّةٍ

قد كنتُ أبكي منْ صريمةِ خُلَّةٍ

كان الشبابُ معوّضي أمثالَها

كان الشبابُ معوّضي أمثالَها

Once, I would weep at a sweetheart’s estrangement;

I used to weep for the loss of a beloved

Youth would compensate me with others like her.

When youth could replace the like of her.

فالآن حقَّ ليَ البكاءُ على الذي

فالآن حقَّ ليَ البكاءُ على الذي

كان المُضمَّنَ عطفها ووصالَها

كان المُضمَّنَ عطفها ووصالَها

So now I have cause to weep for that which

Now I have cause to weep for him

Was entrusted with securing her affection and intimacy.

Who joined us and kept us together.

وعلى الذي لو كان أخلفَ خُلةً

وعلى الذي لو كان أخلفَ خُلةً

من خُلةٍ أو ردّها فأمالَها

من خُلةٍ أو ردّها فأمالَها

And for that which, were it still here, would provide a sweetheart

Had he left me one in place of her

In place of another, or bring her back and win her over.

Or restored her to me changed,

كم خُلةٍ لي صارمتني بعدَه

كم خُلةٍ لي صارمتني بعدَه

لو كان أوجدني بها أبدالَها

لو كان أوجدني بها أبدالَها

How many a sweetheart of mine has broken with me since it departed!

How many loved ones since him have chided me

Had it remained, it would have found me replacements for her.

Had he but found me them in substitution!

وإذا شبابُك بتَّ منك حِبالَهُ

وإذا شبابُك بتَّ منك حِبالَهُ

بتَّت له منك النساء حبالَها

بتَّت له منك النساء حبالَها

And when your youth severs the cords that bind it to you,

When your youth is gone its moorings from you,

Women, on its account, sever the cords that bind them to you.

Women will find their moorings from you.