هُمُ كَتَموني سِرَّهُم حينَ أَزمَعوا

هُمُ كَتَموني سِرَّهُم حينَ أَزمَعوا

وَقالوا اِتَّعِدنا لِلرَواحِ وَبَكَّروا

وَقالوا اِتَّعِدنا لِلرَواحِ وَبَكَّروا

They hid their secret from me when they resolved to leave,

They hid their secret from me when they decided,

and said, “We agreed to depart in the evening,” yet left early.

And said: "Wait for our return," and left early.

فَوا حَزَني أَن كانَ آخِرَ عَهدِنا

فَوا حَزَني أَن كانَ آخِرَ عَهدِنا

بِهِم ذَلِكَ اليَومُ الَّذي أَتَذَكَّرُ

بِهِم ذَلِكَ اليَومُ الَّذي أَتَذَكَّرُ

How I grieve that our last meeting

I was saddened that our last time together

with them was that day I remember!

Was that day I still remember.

وَإِنّي لَأَهوى أَن أَرَى بَعضَ أَهلِها

وَإِنّي لَأَهوى أَن أَرَى بَعضَ أَهلِها

وَإِن كانَ مِنهُم شانِئٌ يَتَذَمَّرُ

وَإِن كانَ مِنهُم شانِئٌ يَتَذَمَّرُ

And I truly long to see some of her kin,

Though I yearn to see some of her people again,

even if among them is a grumbling foe.

Even if one of them complains and grumbles,

وَأَبدَأُ ما اِستَخبَرتُ عَنها بِغَيرها

وَأَبدَأُ ما اِستَخبَرتُ عَنها بِغَيرها

لِتَحسَبَني عَن غَيرِها أَتَخَبَّرُ

لِتَحسَبَني عَن غَيرِها أَتَخَبَّرُ

And whenever I seek news of her, I begin with someone else,

I'll start by asking about others, not her,

so she may think I am seeking news of someone other than her.

So they'll think it's others I ask after.

وَقَد مُلِّيَت لينَ الشَبابِ كَأَنَّها

وَقَد مُلِّيَت لينَ الشَبابِ كَأَنَّها

قَضيبٌ مِنَ الرَيحانِ رَيّانُ أَخضَرُ

قَضيبٌ مِنَ الرَيحانِ رَيّانُ أَخضَرُ

And she has been endowed with youth’s suppleness, as though she were

And youth itself has grown gentle with me, as though

a sprig of basil, lush and green.

It were a green, fragrant sprig of basil.