عَذيريmy defender مِنagainst خَليلٍa close friend يَستَطيلُacts overbearingly
عَذيري مِن خَليلٍ يَستَطيلُ
يَميلُhe sways مَعَwith الزَمانِtime كَماas يَميلُit sways
يَميلُ مَعَ الزَمانِ كَما يَميلُ
Who will defend me against an overbearing friend,
My excuse from a friend who takes his time
Who sways with time as time itself sways,
Swaying with time as time sways
وَيَرضىand he is content أَنthat تَضيعَbe lost سُدىًin vain حُقوقيmy rights
وَيَرضى أَن تَضيعَ سُدىً حُقوقي
وَباعيand my reach فيin الهَوىlove باعٌa reach طَويلُlong
وَباعي في الهَوى باعٌ طَويلُ
And is content to let my rights be lost in vain,
And is content to forfeit my rights in vain
Though my reach in love is long?
One who sold me for love, a lengthy sale
أَشَمساًO sun أَشرَقَتrose مِنfrom عَبدِAbd (servant of) شَمسٍShams (sun)
أَشَمساً أَشرَقَت مِن عَبدِ شَمسٍ
أَماis there no? لَكَfor you فيin سِوىother than قَلبيmy heart أُفولُsetting
أَما لَكَ في سِوى قَلبي أُفولُ
O sun that rose from Abd Shams,
Suns that rose from a sun worshipper's slave
Have you no setting anywhere but in my heart?
Do you not in my heart's seclusion set?
أَماis ... not? يُمحىis erased عِتابُكَyour reproach كُلَّevery يَومٍday
أَما يُمحى عِتابُكَ كُلَّ يَومٍ
أَماis ... not? يُرجىis hoped for إِلىto وَصلٍunion وُصولُarrival
أَما يُرجى إِلى وَصلٍ وُصولُ
Is your reproach not erased each day?
Does not your blame every day fade?
Is there no hope of reaching union?
Is hope of union and arrival not expected?
وَلَوand if أَجِدُI could find السَبيلَthe way لَطِرتُI would fly وَجداًwith longing
وَلَو أَجِدُ السَبيلَ لَطِرتُ وَجداً
وَلَكِنand yet ماthere is no إِلىto هَذاthis سَبيلُa way
وَلَكِن ما إِلى هَذا سَبيلُ
And if I could find the way, I would fly with longing,
If I found the way, I would overflow with love
But there is no way to do so.
But to this, there is no way
كِتابيmy letter عَنfrom وِدادِكَaffection for you لاnot يَزولُdeparts
كِتابي عَن وِدادِكَ لا يَزولُ
وَعَهديand my pledge مِثلَlike عَهدِكَyour pledge لاnot يَحولُchanges
وَعَهدي مِثلَ عَهدِكَ لا يَحولُ
My letter never strays from affection for you,
My writing of your love does not fade
And my pledge, like yours, does not change.
And my pact is like your unwavering pact