ماnot كانَwas ظنّيmy expectation فيكof you مولايَmy lord أنْthat
ما كانَ ظنّي فيك مولايَ أنْ
تبلغَyou would reach فيin الهجرِestrangement إلىto ماwhat أرىI see
تبلغَ في الهجرِ إلى ما أرى
I never expected, my lord, that you
My lord, I never thought that you
would go so far in estrangement as I see.
Would abandon me to such extent
فهلso, will…? تُرىI wonder يرجعreturn غصنbranch الّلقاreunion
فهل تُرى يرجع غصن الّلقا
بَعدَafter التنائيseparation نَضِراًfresh أخضراgreen
بَعدَ التنائي نَضِراً أخضرا
Will the branch of reunion, I wonder, return
Can a branch, once broken off,
after separation, fresh and green,
Regrow green and fresh again?
ويشتكيand complains of القَلبُthe heart صباباتِهits passionate yearnings
ويشتكي القَلبُ صباباتِه
ويخبرُand tells الطّرفthe eye بماof what قدhas (perfective marker) جرَىhappened
ويخبرُ الطّرف بما قد جرَى
and the heart lament its passionate yearnings,
My heart laments its passions lost
and the eye tell of what has happened?
My eyes betray what came to pass