يا لَيتَ مُدّةَ بُعدكْ

يا لَيتَ مُدّةَ بُعدكْ

رَشيقَةٌ مِثلَ قَدّكْ

رَشيقَةٌ مِثلَ قَدّكْ

Would that the span of your absence

Oh, would that the span of your absence

were slender, like your figure—

Were slender like your figure,

كَمُدة الوَردِ وردَ ال

كَمُدة الوَردِ وردَ ال

رَبيع لا وَرد خَدّكْ

رَبيع لا وَرد خَدّكْ

as brief as the rose’s life, the rose of

Like the life of the rose—the rose of the

spring, not the rose of your cheek.

Spring, not the rose of your cheek.

فَعُمرُ ذا عُمرُ صَبري

فَعُمرُ ذا عُمرُ صَبري

وَعُمرُ ذا عُمرُ صَدّكْ

وَعُمرُ ذا عُمرُ صَدّكْ

For the former’s lifespan is the lifespan of my patience,

For this one's life is the life of my patience,

and the latter’s lifespan, the lifespan of your rejection.

And that one's life is the life of your rejection.

رَضيتُ منك وَإِن لَم

رَضيتُ منك وَإِن لَم

تُنجِز بِلَذّة وعدَكْ

تُنجِز بِلَذّة وعدَكْ

I am content with, from you—even if you do not

I am content to have from you—even if you do not

fulfill it—the delight of your promise.

Fulfill it—the sweetness of your promise.