أَباO father of جَعفَرٍJa‘far أَضحىhas become بِكَthrough you الظَنُّexpectation مُمرِعاًlush
أَبا جَعفَرٍ أَضحى بِكَ الظَنُّ مُمرِعاً
فَمِلso turn بِرَواعيهِwith its grazing flocks عَنِaway from الأَمَلِhope الجَدبِbarren
فَمِل بِرَواعيهِ عَنِ الأَمَلِ الجَدبِ
O Abu Ja‘far, through you expectation has grown verdant;
O Abu Ja‘far, through you expectation has grown lush;
so turn its tenders away from barren hope.
so turn its grazing flocks away from barren hope.
فَوَاللَهِfor, by God ماnot شَيءٌanything سِوىexcept الحُبِّlove وَحدَهُit alone
فَوَاللَهِ ما شَيءٌ سِوى الحُبِّ وَحدَهُ
بِأَعلىat a higher مَحَلّاًposition مِنthan رَجائِكَhope in you فيin قَلبيmy heart
بِأَعلى مَحَلّاً مِن رَجائِكَ في قَلبي
For by God, nothing but love alone
For, by God, nothing except love alone
holds a higher place in my heart than my hope in you.
holds a higher place than hope in you within my heart.