يا عَبرَتي هَذِهِ الأَطلالُ وَالدِّمَنُ

يا عَبرَتي هَذِهِ الأَطلالُ وَالدِّمَنُ

فَما اِنتِظارُكِ سيلي فَهيَ لي وَطَنُ

فَما اِنتِظارُكِ سيلي فَهيَ لي وَطَنُ

O my tear, these are the ruins and the traces of old camps.

My ruin, these remnants and ashes

Then why wait? Flow, for they are home to me.

Why do you await the flood, for this is my homeland

لَم أَلقَ قَبلَ ابنَةِ السَّعديِّ لي سَكَناً

لَم أَلقَ قَبلَ ابنَةِ السَّعديِّ لي سَكَناً

يَكادُ يَلفِظُ روحي بَعدَهُ البَدَنُ

يَكادُ يَلفِظُ روحي بَعدَهُ البَدَنُ

Before al-Saʿdi’s daughter, I had never found a beloved

Never before did I find rest in the daughter of Sa'd

after whose departure my body almost casts out my soul.

My soul nearly departs my body after her

تَلَفَّتَ القَلبُ نَحوَالرَّكبِ حينَ ثَنى

تَلَفَّتَ القَلبُ نَحوَالرَّكبِ حينَ ثَنى

عَنِ التأَمُّلِ طَرْفِي دَمعِيَ الهَتِنُ

عَنِ التأَمُّلِ طَرْفِي دَمعِيَ الهَتِنُ

My heart turned toward the caravan as my gaze was turned

My heart turned towards the caravan when

away from watching by my streaming tears.

My eyes turned from contemplation, my tears seduced me

غَدوا وَما فَلَقَ الإِصباحَ فالِقُهُ

غَدوا وَما فَلَقَ الإِصباحَ فالِقُهُ

فاللَيلُ لِلنّاسِ غَيري بَعدَهُم سَكَنُ

فاللَيلُ لِلنّاسِ غَيري بَعدَهُم سَكَنُ

They set out before the one who cleaves the dawn had cleft it.

Tomorrow, though the dawn has not yet cracked its dawn

So, since they left, night brings repose to everyone but me.

The night for people other than me is home after them

في القُربِ وَالبُعدِ مالي مِنهُمُ فَرَجٌ

في القُربِ وَالبُعدِ مالي مِنهُمُ فَرَجٌ

فالوَجدُ إِن نَزلوا والشَّوقُ إِن ظَعَنوا

فالوَجدُ إِن نَزلوا والشَّوقُ إِن ظَعَنوا

Whether near or far, I find no relief from them:

Whether near or far I have no relief from them

For there is love’s anguish if they encamp, and longing if they depart.

Longing if they settle, and yearning if they journey

وَقَد سَكَنتُ إِلى الأَخبارِ بَعدَهُمُ

وَقَد سَكَنتُ إِلى الأَخبارِ بَعدَهُمُ

وَعِندي المُزعِجانِ الذِّكرُ وَالحَزَنُ

وَعِندي المُزعِجانِ الذِّكرُ وَالحَزَنُ

And since they left, I have taken comfort in news of them,

And I had settled for news of them after their departure

while with me are the two tormentors: remembrance and sorrow.

While the two disquieters for me are memory and sadness

والأُذنُ تَسمَعُها وَالقَلبُ يَصحَبُهُم

والأُذنُ تَسمَعُها وَالقَلبُ يَصحَبُهُم

وَأَنتِ يا عَينُ لا يَعتادُكِ الوَسَنُ

وَأَنتِ يا عَينُ لا يَعتادُكِ الوَسَنُ

And the ear hears that news, while the heart accompanies them.

My ear hears them and my heart accompanies them

And you, O eye—drowsiness never visits you.

While you, oh eye, are not accustomed to drowsiness

فَلَيتَ حَظَّكِ مِنهُم مِثلُ حظِّهِما

فَلَيتَ حَظَّكِ مِنهُم مِثلُ حظِّهِما

ما آفَةُ العَينِ إِلّا القَلبُ والأُذنُ

ما آفَةُ العَينِ إِلّا القَلبُ والأُذنُ

If only your share of them were like the share of those two!

If only your fortune with them were like that of the heart and ear

The eye’s only bane is the heart and the ear.

No affliction of the eye but the heart and ear