كَتَبتُ إِلى ظَلومَ فَلَم تُجِبني

كَتَبتُ إِلى ظَلومَ فَلَم تُجِبني

وَقالَت ما لَهُ عِندي جَوابُ

وَقالَت ما لَهُ عِندي جَوابُ

I wrote to Zalum, but she did not answer me.

I wrote to the one I love, but no reply came

And she said, “I have no answer for him.”

She said, “I have no answer for him.”

فَلَمّا اِستَيأَسَت نَفسي أَتاني

فَلَمّا اِستَيأَسَت نَفسي أَتاني

وَقَد غَفَلَ الوشاةُ لَها كِتابُ

وَقَد غَفَلَ الوشاةُ لَها كِتابُ

Then, when my soul had lost all hope, there came to me

When my soul despaired, she sent me a letter

a letter from her, while the talebearers were off their guard.

While the spies around me were unaware.

كِتابٌ جاءَ وَالرُقَباءُ حَولي

كِتابٌ جاءَ وَالرُقَباءُ حَولي

إِذا ما مَرَّ طَيرٌ بي اِستَرابوا

إِذا ما مَرَّ طَيرٌ بي اِستَرابوا

A letter came while the watchers were around me;

A letter came, though guards were watching me

if so much as a bird passed by me, they grew suspicious.

If a bird passed, they would suspect and inquire

أَما عَلِمَت يَقيناً أَنَّ أَهلي

أَما عَلِمَت يَقيناً أَنَّ أَهلي

عَلَيَّ لَهُم عُيونٌ وَاِرتِقابُ

عَلَيَّ لَهُم عُيونٌ وَاِرتِقابُ

Did she not know for certain that my family

Don’t you know for certain that my family

have eyes upon me and keep watch?

Keeps eyes on me and waits for my downfall