إِذا جاءَني مِنها الكِتابُ بِعَتبِها

إِذا جاءَني مِنها الكِتابُ بِعَتبِها

خَلَوتُ بِنَفسي حَيثُ كُنتُ مِنَ الأَرضِ

خَلَوتُ بِنَفسي حَيثُ كُنتُ مِنَ الأَرضِ

When a letter comes to me from her bearing her reproach,

When her letter comes with her rebuke

I withdraw alone, wherever on earth I may be.

I seclude myself wherever I am on earth

وَأَبكي لِنَفسي رَحمَةً مِن عِتابِها

وَأَبكي لِنَفسي رَحمَةً مِن عِتابِها

وَيَبكي مِنَ الهِجرانِ بَعضي عَلى بَعضي

وَيَبكي مِنَ الهِجرانِ بَعضي عَلى بَعضي

And I weep in pity for myself because of her reproach,

And weep for myself out of mercy from her blame

And from separation, one part of me weeps for another.

And from the estrangement some of me weeps for some of me

وإِنّي لَأَخشاها مُسيئاً وَمُحسِناً

وإِنّي لَأَخشاها مُسيئاً وَمُحسِناً

وَأَقضي عَلى نَفسي لَها بِالَّذي تَقضي

وَأَقضي عَلى نَفسي لَها بِالَّذي تَقضي

And indeed I fear her, whether I do wrong or good,

Yet I fear displeasing her, whether doing good or ill

And I judge against myself in her favor, as she decrees.

And I sentence myself for her sake to what she sentences

فَحَتّى مَتى رَوحُ الرِضا لا يُصيبُني

فَحَتّى مَتى رَوحُ الرِضا لا يُصيبُني

وَحَتّى مَتى أَيَامُ سُخطِكِ لا تَمضي

وَحَتّى مَتى أَيَامُ سُخطِكِ لا تَمضي

How long, then, will the relief of your favor elude me?

So for how long will the spirit of acceptance not come upon me

And how long before the days of your displeasure pass?

And for how long will your days of displeasure not pass