وَلَماand when التَقيناwe met للوَداعfor farewell غُدَيَّةًearly one morning
وَلَما التَقينا للوَداع غُدَيَّةً
وَقَدand already خَفَقَتfluttered فيin ساحَةcourtyard القَصرthe palace راياتُbanners
وَقَد خَفَقَت في ساحَة القَصر راياتُ
And when we met for farewell early one morning,
When we met to bid farewell one morn
while banners were already fluttering in the palace courtyard,
And flags were fluttering in the castle yard
وَقُربَتِand were brought near الجُردُthe sleek steeds العِتاقُthe thoroughbred ones وَصُفِّقتand were beaten
وَقُربَتِ الجُردُ العِتاقُ وَصُفِّقت
طُبولٌdrums وَلاحَتand appeared لِلفِراقof parting عَلاماتُsigns
طُبولٌ وَلاحَت لِلفِراق عَلاماتُ
and the sleek, thoroughbred steeds were brought near, and beaten were
The troops were mustering, the drums beat out
drums, and signs of parting appeared,
And signs of parting hung on every side
بَكَيناwe wept دَماًblood حَتّىuntil كأنَّas though عُيونَناour eyes
بَكَينا دَماً حَتّى كأنَّ عُيونَنا
لجريbecause of the flowing الدُموعthe tears الحُمرthe red ones مِنهاfrom them جِراحاتُwounds
لجري الدُموع الحُمر مِنها جِراحاتُ
we wept blood, until our eyes seemed
We wept until our eyes flowed blood, as though
like wounds, because red tears flowed from them.
Our tears were red, so many wounds they'd scarred
وَكُنّاand we were نُرَجّيwe hope for الأوبَthe return بَعدَafter ثَلاثَةٍthree
وَكُنّا نُرَجّي الأوبَ بَعدَ ثَلاثَةٍ
فَكَيفَso how وَقَدand already طالَتgrew long عَلَيهاupon them زياداتُadditions
فَكَيفَ وَقَد طالَت عَلَيها زياداتُ
And we had hoped for a return after three [days]—
We hoped to meet again in just three days
how, then, now that long delays have been added to them?
How harder now, so long has our exile tarred