يا عُتبُ هَجرُكِ مورِثُ الأَدواءِ

يا عُتبُ هَجرُكِ مورِثُ الأَدواءِ

وَالهَجرُ لَيسَ لِوُدِّنا بِجَزاءِ

وَالهَجرُ لَيسَ لِوُدِّنا بِجَزاءِ

O ʿUtb, your desertion brings on ailments,

O reproach, your abandonment inherits illnesses,

And desertion is no recompense for our affection.

And abandonment is not a fair punishment for our love.

يا صاحِبَيَّ لَقَد لَقيتُ مِنَ الهَوى

يا صاحِبَيَّ لَقَد لَقيتُ مِنَ الهَوى

جُهداً وَكُلَّ مَذَلَّةٍ وَعَناءِ

جُهداً وَكُلَّ مَذَلَّةٍ وَعَناءِ

O my two companions, I have indeed suffered through love

My friend, I have truly suffered from passion’s agony,

Hardship, every humiliation, and anguish.

And every humiliation and misery from its woe.

عَلِقَ الفُؤادُ بِحُبِّها مِن شِقوَتي

عَلِقَ الفُؤادُ بِحُبِّها مِن شِقوَتي

وَالحُبُّ داعِيَةٌ لِكُلِّ بَلاءِ

وَالحُبُّ داعِيَةٌ لِكُلِّ بَلاءِ

Through my ill fortune, my heart grew attached to loving her,

My heart clung to loving her despite my wretchedness,

And love is a cause of every affliction.

For love invites all tribulation and trial.

إِنّي لَأَرجوها وَأَحذَرُها فَقَد

إِنّي لَأَرجوها وَأَحذَرُها فَقَد

أَصبَحتُ بَينَ مَخافَةٍ وَرَجاءِ

أَصبَحتُ بَينَ مَخافَةٍ وَرَجاءِ

Indeed, I hope for her and fear her, for

I hope for her yet fear her, caught between dread and wish,

I now find myself between fear and hope.

Suspended between apprehension and aspiration.

بَخِلَت عَلَيَّ بِوُدِّها وَصَفائِها

بَخِلَت عَلَيَّ بِوُدِّها وَصَفائِها

وَمَنَحتُها وُدّي وَمَحضَ صَفائي

وَمَنَحتُها وُدّي وَمَحضَ صَفائي

She withheld her affection and sincerity from me,

She was miserly to me with her affection and sincerity,

And I gave her my affection and my unalloyed sincerity.

While I gave her my love and utmost sincerity.

فَتَخالَفَ الأَهواءَ فيما بَينَنا

فَتَخالَفَ الأَهواءَ فيما بَينَنا

وَالمَوتُ عِندَ تَخالُفِ الأَهواءِ

وَالمَوتُ عِندَ تَخالُفِ الأَهواءِ

Thus desires diverged between us,

So desires differed between us,

And death comes when desires diverge.

And death lies in differing desires.