وَقائِلَةٍ لي كَيفَ كُنتَ تُريدُ

وَقائِلَةٍ لي كَيفَ كُنتَ تُريدُ

فَقُلتُ لَها أَن لا يَكونَ حَسودُ

فَقُلتُ لَها أَن لا يَكونَ حَسودُ

And a woman said to me, 'How did you wish it to be?'

And one who said to me, how could you want

And she who asked me, 'What was your desire?'

So I told her, 'That there should be no envious person.'

So I said to her that he not be jealous

I replied to her, 'That no envier should exist.'

لَقَد عاجَلَت قَلبي جِنانُ بِهَجرِها

لَقَد عاجَلَت قَلبي جِنانُ بِهَجرِها

وَقَد كانَ يَكفيني بِذاكَ وَعيدُ

وَقَد كانَ يَكفيني بِذاكَ وَعيدُ

Jinan has indeed taken my heart by surprise with her desertion;

My heart was hastened by her abandonment

Jinan has hastened to strike my heart with abandonment,

Though a threat of that alone would have sufficed for me.

And it would have sufficed me, that threat

Though a mere threat of it would have sufficed me.

لَعَلَّ جِناناً سائَها أَن أُحِبُّها

لَعَلَّ جِناناً سائَها أَن أُحِبُّها

فَقُل لِجِنانٍ ثابِتٌ وَيَزيدُ

فَقُل لِجِنانٍ ثابِتٌ وَيَزيدُ

Perhaps it displeased Jinan that I love her;

Perhaps a love I shaded, that I love her

Perhaps it displeased Jinan that I should love her,

Then tell Jinan: my love is steadfast and grows.

So say to a constant love, and it increases

So say to Jinan: 'It is steadfast and increasing.'

فَسُخطَكَ في هَذا عَلى النَفسِ هَيِنٌ

فَسُخطَكَ في هَذا عَلى النَفسِ هَيِنٌ

وَلَكِنَّهُ فيما سِواهُ شَديدُ

وَلَكِنَّهُ فيما سِواهُ شَديدُ

For your displeasure at this is easy for my soul to bear,

So your anger in this upon the self is slight

Your anger regarding this is light upon my soul,

But in all else it is severe.

But indeed in other than it, intense

But in matters other than this, it is severe.

رَأَيتُ دُنوَّ الدارِ لَيسَ بِنافِعٍ

رَأَيتُ دُنوَّ الدارِ لَيسَ بِنافِعٍ

إِذا كانَ ما بَينَ القُلوبِ بَعيدُ

إِذا كانَ ما بَينَ القُلوبِ بَعيدُ

I have found that a dwelling's nearness is of no use

I saw the nearness of the house is not beneficial

I have seen that nearness of abode is of no avail,

When hearts are far apart.

If what is between the hearts is far

If the distance between hearts remains vast.