1. أَقولُ وَقَد ناحَت بِقُربي حَمامَةٌ

    أَيا جارَتا هَل تَشعُرينَ بِحالي

    I say, as a dove coos mournfully beside me:

    O my neighbor, do you feel my plight?

  2. مَعاذَ الهَوى ماذُقتِ طارِقَةَ النَوى

    وَلا خَطَرَت مِنكِ الهُمومُ بِبالِ

    Love forbid! You have never tasted separation's sudden blow,

    Nor have cares ever crossed your mind.

  3. أَتَحمِلُ مَحزونَ الفُؤادِ قَوادِمٌ

    عَلى غُصُنٍ نائي المَسافَةِ عالِ

    Can wings bear one grieving at heart

    Onto a distant, lofty branch?

  4. أَيا جارَتا ما أَنصَفَ الدَهرُ بَينَنا

    تَعالِي أُقاسِمكِ الهُمومَ تَعالِي

    O my neighbor, time has not dealt fairly between us.

    Come, let me share sorrows with you—come.

  5. تَعالَي تَرَي روحاً لَدَيَّ ضَعيفَةً

    تَرَدَّدُ في جِسمٍ يُعَذِّبُ بالِ

    Come, see a frail soul within me,

    Fluttering in a wasted body that torments it.

  6. أَيَضحَكُ مَأسورٌ وَتَبكي طَليقَةٌ

    وَيَسكُتُ مَحزونٌ وَيَندِبُ سالِ

    Does a captive laugh while a free one weeps,

    And a grieving man fall silent while a carefree one laments?

  7. لَقَد كُنتُ أَولى مِنكِ بِالدَمعِ مُقلَةً

    وَلَكِنَّ دَمعي في الحَوادِثِ غالِ

    Indeed, my eye had more right to tears than yours,

    But my tears are precious in adversity.