بَكَيتُ مِن سَكَنٍ في أَضلُعي سَكَنا

بَكَيتُ مِن سَكَنٍ في أَضلُعي سَكَنا

لَو عاشَ لي لَكَفاني الدَهرَ أَوقاتا

لَو عاشَ لي لَكَفاني الدَهرَ أَوقاتا

I wept for one who was my solace and dwelt within my ribs.

I wept from a longing in my ribs that made

I wept for a dweller who took up residence within my ribs,

Had he lived for me, he would at times have shielded me from Time.

Its home there, had he lived for me he would have spared me

Had he lived for me, he would have sufficed me against all time,

في كُلِّ وَقتٍ عَلى فَقديهِ أذكُرُهُ

في كُلِّ وَقتٍ عَلى فَقديهِ أذكُرُهُ

وَرُبَّما نَسِيَ الأَحبابُ أَوقاتا

وَرُبَّما نَسِيَ الأَحبابُ أَوقاتا

At every moment, despite my loss of him, I remember him.

Through time. Each moment I recall him in his loss

At every moment, mourning his loss, I remember him,

And loved ones may forget at times.

And friends perhaps forget, from time to time.

Though loved ones might, perhaps, forget at times.