حالَفتُ فيكَ البُكا كَأَنّي

حالَفتُ فيكَ البُكا كَأَنّي

وَرقاءُ تَبكي عَلى فِراخِ

وَرقاءُ تَبكي عَلى فِراخِ

I made a pact with weeping for you, as though I were

I have allied myself with weeping for your sake, as if I were

a gray dove mourning her chicks.

A ring-necked dove lamenting over her chicks.

خَدّي شَهيدٌ بِأَنَّ عَيني

خَدّي شَهيدٌ بِأَنَّ عَيني

عادَت مِنَ البُخلِ بِالتَساخي

عادَت مِنَ البُخلِ بِالتَساخي

My cheek bears witness that my eye

My cheek bears witness that my eye

has turned from stinginess to generosity.

Has turned from miserliness to lavish generosity.

خَلَت شُهورٌ وَلَم أَسَل عَن

خَلَت شُهورٌ وَلَم أَسَل عَن

إِهلالِ شَهرٍ وَلا اِنسِلاخِ

إِهلالِ شَهرٍ وَلا اِنسِلاخِ

Months have passed, and I have not asked about

Months have passed, and I have not asked about

a month's new moon or its passing.

The rising of a new moon, nor the waning of the old.

خَيالكَ اِعتادَني فَسَلهُ

خَيالكَ اِعتادَني فَسَلهُ

عَن زَفرَتي فيكَ وَاِصطِراخي

عَن زَفرَتي فيكَ وَاِصطِراخي

Your phantom visits me often; ask it

Your phantom visits me habitually, so ask it

about my sigh for you and my wailing.

About my deep groans for you and my cries of anguish.

خُنتُكَ إِن عُدتَ لِاِدِّكاري

خُنتُكَ إِن عُدتَ لِاِدِّكاري

لَيالي الكَرخِ أَو أضاخِ

لَيالي الكَرخِ أَو أضاخِ

I would betray you, should you return to remind me

I would be betraying you were I to return to recalling

of the nights of al-Karkh or Uḍākh.

The nights of al-Karkh or those of Aḍākh.

خُيِّلَ لي مُذ قُبِرتَ أَنّي

خُيِّلَ لي مُذ قُبِرتَ أَنّي

ظَمآنُ في القَيظِ وَالسِباخِ

ظَمآنُ في القَيظِ وَالسِباخِ

Since you were buried, it has seemed to me that I am

It has seemed to me, ever since you were buried, that I am

thirsting amid summer's heat and salt flats.

Parched with thirst amidst midsummer heat and salt flats.

خَلّيتَني في وِثاقِ دُنيا

خَلّيتَني في وِثاقِ دُنيا

تَشتَدُّ إِن سمتُها التَراخي

تَشتَدُّ إِن سمتُها التَراخي

You left me in the bonds of a world

You have left me behind in the shackles of a world

that tightens them if I ask it to slacken.

That tightens its grip whenever I seek from it a moment of ease.

خَدّاعَةٍ بالمُنى خَؤونٍ

خَدّاعَةٍ بالمُنى خَؤونٍ

لِمَن تُعادي وَمَن تُؤاخي

لِمَن تُعادي وَمَن تُؤاخي

Deceptive with hopes, ever treacherous

A world deceiving with false hopes, a treacherous traitor

to those it opposes and those it befriends.

To those it opposes and those it befriends alike.

خَلَّيتَها وَاِرتَحَلتَ لَمّا

خَلَّيتَها وَاِرتَحَلتَ لَمّا

لَم تَرضَ فيها عَنِ المُناخِ

لَم تَرضَ فيها عَنِ المُناخِ

You left it behind and departed when

You abandoned it and departed when

you were not content with your resting place there.

You found no satisfaction in its resting places.

خَلصت مِنها وَنَحنُ فيها

خَلصت مِنها وَنَحنُ فيها

مِثل العَصافيرِ في الفِخاخِ

مِثل العَصافيرِ في الفِخاخِ

You escaped it, while we remain within it,

You have escaped from it, while we remain within,

like sparrows in snares.

Like small birds caught in snares.

خاطَبتني فَاِتَّرَكت مِنّي

خاطَبتني فَاِتَّرَكت مِنّي

صَرصَرَةَ البازِ كَالصُراخِ

صَرصَرَةَ البازِ كَالصُراخِ

You spoke to me, leaving of me

You spoke to me, and left me uttering

a hawk's shrill cry, like a scream.

The shrill cry of a hawk, like a piercing scream.

خوَّفت زَأراً وَكُنت شِبلاً

خوَّفت زَأراً وَكُنت شِبلاً

عَفّاً عَنِ الشَاءِ وَالإِراخِ

عَفّاً عَنِ الشَاءِ وَالإِراخِ

You struck fear with a roar, though you were a cub

You inspired fear with a roar, though you were but a lion cub,

that refrained from sheep and young wild cattle.

That abstained from hunting the sheep or the wild cattle.

خَلائِقُ العالَمينَ شَتّى

خَلائِقُ العالَمينَ شَتّى

فَمِن مِلاحٍ وَمِن فتاخِ

فَمِن مِلاحٍ وَمِن فتاخِ

The creatures of the worlds are diverse:

The natures of all creation are diverse;

some are beautiful, others broad-winged eagles.

Some are fair and beautiful, others weak and base.

خالَفَني فيكَ رَيبُ دَهرٍ

خالَفَني فيكَ رَيبُ دَهرٍ

أَبقى عِظامي بِلا مخاخِ

أَبقى عِظامي بِلا مخاخِ

Time's vicissitudes thwarted me concerning you,

The vicissitudes of time have thwarted my hopes for you,

leaving my bones without marrow.

Leaving my bones hollow, stripped of their marrow.

خِلتُكَ تَبقى وَحُكم رَبّي

خِلتُكَ تَبقى وَحُكم رَبّي

ما لي يَدٌ فيهِ بِاِنفِساخِ

ما لي يَدٌ فيهِ بِاِنفِساخِ

I thought you would remain, but my Lord's decree

I imagined you would remain, but against my Lord’s decree,

is beyond my power to undo.

I possess no power to annul or revoke it.