كَيفَhow بِصاحِبٍwith a friend إِنif أَدنُI draw near مِنهُto him
كَيفَ بِصاحِبٍ إِن أَدنُ مِنهُ
يَزِدنيhe adds for me فيin مُباعَدَةٍdistancing ذِراعاa cubit
يَزِدني في مُباعَدَةٍ ذِراعا
What can I do with a friend who, if I draw near him,
Draws a cubit farther away from me?
وَإِنand if أَمدُدI stretch out لَهُtoward him فيin الوَصلِfriendship ذَرعيmy arm
وَإِن أَمدُد لَهُ في الوَصلِ ذَرعي
يَزِدنيhe adds for me فَوقَbeyond قيسِthe measure of الذَرعِthe arm’s reach باعاan armspan
يَزِدني فَوقَ قيسِ الذَرعِ باعا
And if I stretch my arm toward him in friendship,
He withdraws an armspan beyond my arm’s reach.
أَبَتhas refused نَفسيmy soul لَهُwith him إِلّاexcept وِصالاًunion
أَبَت نَفسي لَهُ إِلّا وِصالاً
وَتَأبىand refuses نَفسُهُhis soul إِلّاexcept اِنقِطاعاseparation
وَتَأبى نَفسُهُ إِلّا اِنقِطاعا
My soul has refused all but union with him,
And his soul refuses all but separation.
كِلاناboth of us جاهِدٌstriving hard أَدنوI draw near وَينأىand he draws away
كِلانا جاهِدٌ أَدنو وَينأى
كَذَلِكَthus ماas long as اِستَطَعتُI am able وَماand as long as اِستَطاعاhe is able
كَذَلِكَ ما اِستَطَعتُ وَما اِستَطاعا
We both strive: I draw near, and he draws away,
Thus, for as long as I can and he can.
Translation model: Sol 6.1