خَبَّروهَا أنِّي مَرِضْتُ فقالتْ

خَبَّروهَا أنِّي مَرِضْتُ فقالتْ

أضنَىً طارِفاً شكا أم تليدَا

أضنَىً طارِفاً شكا أم تليدَا

They told her I had fallen ill, and she said,

They told her I was sick, and she said,

“Is the wasting sickness he complains of new, or old?”

"Is it a burning fever or a new baby leaving him bedridden?"

وأشاروا بأنْ تعودَ وسَادِي

وأشاروا بأنْ تعودَ وسَادِي

فأبَتْ وهيَ تشتَهِي أنْ تعودَا

فأبَتْ وهيَ تشتَهِي أنْ تعودَا

And they advised her to visit me at my pillow;

And they hinted she should visit my bedside,

But she refused, though she longed to visit.

But she refused, though she longed to return.

وأتَتْنِي في خِفيةٍ وهي تشكُو

وأتَتْنِي في خِفيةٍ وهي تشكُو

رِقْبةَ الحَيّ والمزارَ البعيدا

رِقْبةَ الحَيّ والمزارَ البعيدا

And she came to me in secret, complaining

She came to me in secret, complaining

Of her people’s watchfulness and the long journey to me.

Of the neck of the neighborhood spy and the distant shrine.

ورأتْنِي كذا فلم تتمالَكْ

ورأتْنِي كذا فلم تتمالَكْ

أن أمالتْ علَيَّ عِطْفَاً وجِيدَا

أن أمالتْ علَيَّ عِطْفَاً وجِيدَا

And when she saw me thus, she could not restrain herself

And when she saw me thus, she could not restrain

From bending her side and neck over me.

Herself from leaning her bosom gently against me.

ثم قالتْ لتِرْبها وهيَ تبكي

ثم قالتْ لتِرْبها وهيَ تبكي

ويحَ هذا الشبابِ غَضَّاً جديدَا

ويحَ هذا الشبابِ غَضَّاً جديدَا

Then she said to her age-mate, weeping,

Then she said to the ashes as she wept,

“Alas for this youth, so tender and fresh!”

"Alas for this fresh youth struck down!"

وتولَّتْ بحسرَةِ اليأسِ تُخْفِي

وتولَّتْ بحسرَةِ اليأسِ تُخْفِي

زَفَراتٍ أبَيْنَ إلا صُعُودَا

زَفَراتٍ أبَيْنَ إلا صُعُودَا

And she turned away in the anguish of despair, concealing

And she turned away in hopeless sorrow to hide

Sighs that would do nothing but rise.

Sobs that refused to be silenced.

زَوْرَةٌ ما شفَتْ غليلاً ولكنْ

زَوْرَةٌ ما شفَتْ غليلاً ولكنْ

علَّمتْ جمرةَ الفُؤادِ وقُودَا

علَّمتْ جمرةَ الفُؤادِ وقُودَا

A visit that quenched no burning thirst, but

An untrue visit, that quenched no thirst, but

Taught the heart’s ember how to burn.

Taught the embers of my heart to burn.