ودَّعتُI bade farewell to حِبَّيmy beloved وفيand in يَديmy hand يدُهُhis hand
ودَّعتُ حِبَّي وفي يَدي يدُهُ
مثلَlike غريقٍa drowning man وبهِand to him تَمَسَّكْتُI clung
مثلَ غريقٍ وبهِ تَمَسَّكْتُ
I bade my beloved farewell, his hand in mine.
Like a drowning man, I clung to him.
ورُحْتُand I departed عنهُfrom him وراحَتيand my palm عطِرَتْbecame fragrant
ورُحْتُ عنهُ وراحَتي عطِرَتْ
كأنَّنيas though I بعدَهُafter him تَمَسَّكْتُhad perfumed myself with musk
كأنَّني بعدَهُ تَمَسَّكْتُ
And I departed from him, my palm grown fragrant,
As though, after leaving him, I had perfumed myself with musk.