تَنَكَّرَ بَعدَ البَينِ دارٌ وَجيرانُ

تَنَكَّرَ بَعدَ البَينِ دارٌ وَجيرانُ

فَلا الدارُ ما كانَت وَلا القَومُ ما كانوا

فَلا الدارُ ما كانَت وَلا القَومُ ما كانوا

After parting, home and neighbors grew unfamiliar.

After separation, a house and neighbors changed

So home is no longer what it was, nor the people what they were.

Neither the house remained as it was, nor did the people remain as they were

أَبِن عَنكَ ذِكرَ الدارِ فَالدارُ أَهلُها

أَبِن عَنكَ ذِكرَ الدارِ فَالدارُ أَهلُها

وَلا فَرقَ إِلّا أَن أَقامَت وَأَن بانوا

وَلا فَرقَ إِلّا أَن أَقامَت وَأَن بانوا

Cast aside remembrance of home, for home is its people.

If you ask about the house, the house is its people

And there is no difference except that it remained and they departed,

The only difference is that it stood still while they moved away

وَأَن سَجَعَت في الرَوضِ أَمسِ حَمائِمٌ

وَأَن سَجَعَت في الرَوضِ أَمسِ حَمائِمٌ

وَأَن نَعَبَت في القَفرَةِ الآنَ غِربانُ

وَأَن نَعَبَت في القَفرَةِ الآنَ غِربانُ

And that yesterday doves cooed in the garden,

Yesterday doves cooed in the garden

And that now ravens caw in the wilderness.

Today crows cawed in the ruins

عَلى أَن داراً إِذ تُظَلِّلُ جَنَّةٌ

عَلى أَن داراً إِذ تُظَلِّلُ جَنَّةٌ

وَأَنَّ دِياراً إِذ تُهَجِّرُ أَظعانُ

وَأَنَّ دِياراً إِذ تُهَجِّرُ أَظعانُ

Yet a dwelling, when it provides shade, is paradise,

Though a house may cast shade like a garden

And on a midday journey, dwellings are camel-litters.

And homes become desolate places when deserted

فَإِن أَنِسَت في القُربِ مِنهُم مَجالِسٌ

فَإِن أَنِسَت في القُربِ مِنهُم مَجالِسٌ

فَقَد أَوحَشَتنا بِالتَباعُدِ جيرانُ

فَقَد أَوحَشَتنا بِالتَباعُدِ جيرانُ

So if gatherings were companionable with them nearby,

If their company brought us joy when near

Then neighbors have made us lonely by their distance.

Then their absence has estranged us, O neighbors!

لَقَد أَلِفَ الإِلفانِ أَصعَبَ فُرقَةٍ

لَقَد أَلِفَ الإِلفانِ أَصعَبَ فُرقَةٍ

مَضى وَمَضَت فيها زَمانٌ وَأَزمانُ

مَضى وَمَضَت فيها زَمانٌ وَأَزمانُ

Indeed, the two companions have grown used to the harshest parting;

Parting from loved ones is the most difficult separation

An age and ages have passed in it.

Time passed, days went by

فَلَم يَجتَمِع في الكَفِّ جودٌ وَثَروَةٌ

فَلَم يَجتَمِع في الكَفِّ جودٌ وَثَروَةٌ

وَلَم يَجتَمِع في الوَجهِ حُسنٌ وَإِحسانُ

وَلَم يَجتَمِع في الوَجهِ حُسنٌ وَإِحسانُ

So generosity and wealth have not met in one hand,

Generosity and wealth never gather in one palm

Nor beauty and beneficence in one face.

Beauty and kindness never gather in one face

وَلَكِنَّ وَجهاً عِندَهُ الشَمسُ لَيلَةٌ

وَلَكِنَّ وَجهاً عِندَهُ الشَمسُ لَيلَةٌ

وَلَكِنَّ كَفّاً عِندَها البَحرُ غُدرانُ

وَلَكِنَّ كَفّاً عِندَها البَحرُ غُدرانُ

And yet there is a face beside which the sun is night,

Rather, one face to him is like the sun at night

And yet a hand beside which the sea is mere pools.

While to her, his palm is like the deceitful sea