أَلاAh! ذَكِّرانيremind me, you two ياO خَليلَيَّmy two friends ماwhat قَضىhas passed
أَلا ذَكِّراني يا خَليلَيَّ ما قَضى
مِنَof العَيشِlife إِذsince لَمnot يَبْقَhas remained إِلّاexcept تَذَكُّريmy remembering
مِنَ العَيشِ إِذ لَم يَبْقَ إِلّا تَذَكُّري
Ah, remind me, my two friends, of what has passed
Of life, since nothing remains but my remembering;
وَإِذand when لاِهتِزازِin the swaying of العيسِthe pale camels بِالركبِwith the riders لذَّةٌdelight
وَإِذ لاِهتِزازِ العيسِ بِالركبِ لذَّةٌ
وَإِذand when كُلُّevery شُربٍdraught بارِدٌcool لَمْnot يُكَدَّرِhad been muddied
وَإِذ كُلُّ شُربٍ بارِدٌ لَمْ يُكَدَّرِ
And when the swaying of pale camels with their riders was a joy,
And when every draught was cool and unclouded;
وَإِذand when أَنتَyou لَمnot تَشعُرْwere aware بِعَينٍof an eye سَخينَةٍhot with tears
وَإِذ أَنتَ لَم تَشعُرْ بِعَينٍ سَخينَةٍ
بكَتْwept مِنfrom فُراقٍparting لَكِنbut الآنَnow فَاِشعُرِso take heed
بكَتْ مِن فُراقٍ لَكِن الآنَ فَاِشعُرِ
And when you knew nothing of an eye hot with tears
That wept at parting—but now, take heed.
وَإِذand when لَمnot تُفَجِّعناhad bereaved us بِأَشياعِناof our companions النوىseparation
وَإِذ لَم تُفَجِّعنا بِأَشياعِنا النوى
وَلَمand not تُمطرِhad rained العَينانِthe two eyes مِنfrom كُلِّevery ممطَرِsource of rain
وَلَم تُمطرِ العَينانِ مِن كُلِّ ممطَرِ
And when separation had not bereaved us of our companions,
Nor had the eyes poured rain from every source.
وَماand whatever تُصِبِmay take الأَيّامُthe days منّىfrom me فَلَمْyet have not تصِبْtaken
وَما تُصِبِ الأَيّامُ منّى فَلَمْ تصِبْ
حَيائيmy modesty وَلَمand not يَطْلُعْنَhave they dawned لِلمتعثرِon one who stumbles
حَيائي وَلَم يَطْلُعْنَ لِلمتعثرِ
Whatever the days may take from me, they have not taken
My modesty, nor have they dawned on one who falters.
أَمينُtrusty السَّرىnight travel مُستَقدمٌpressing onward مُتَقاذِفٌbounding ahead
أَمينُ السَّرى مُستَقدمٌ مُتَقاذِفٌ
إِذاwhen ما(emphasis) أَغَذَّhe quickens السَّيرَthe pace لَمnot يَتَعَذَّرِdoes he falter
إِذا ما أَغَذَّ السَّيرَ لَم يَتَعَذَّرِ
A trusty night-traveler, pressing onward, bounding ahead,
Whenever he quickens his pace, he does not falter.