لَيتَ حادي مَطِيِّهِم يَومَ سارَ

لَيتَ حادي مَطِيِّهِم يَومَ سارَ

خَفَّفَ السَيرَ في القُلوبِ الأَسارى

خَفَّفَ السَيرَ في القُلوبِ الأَسارى

If only the driver of their mounts, the day he departed,

I wish their guide on the day they departed

Had eased the journey for the captive hearts,

Had eased the journey in the captives' hearts,

أَو رَعى صُحبَةَ الجُسومِ الَّتي اِستَ

أَو رَعى صُحبَةَ الجُسومِ الَّتي اِستَ

صحَبَ مِنها الأَسماعَ وَالأَبصارا

صحَبَ مِنها الأَسماعَ وَالأَبصارا

Or honored the companionship of the bodies from which he took

Or had tended the company of bodies which became

Hearing and sight along.

For sights and hearings a companion.

وَحَبيبٍ أَودَعتُهُ نورَ عَيني

وَحَبيبٍ أَودَعتُهُ نورَ عَيني

فَتَوَلّى وَاِستَودَعَ القَلبَ نارا

فَتَوَلّى وَاِستَودَعَ القَلبَ نارا

And a beloved whom I entrusted with the light of my eye

And a beloved I entrusted with my eyes' light

Then turned away and entrusted my heart with fire.

But he turned away and left my heart afire,

سارا يُبدي تَجَلُّداً في اِختِيارِ الس

سارا يُبدي تَجَلُّداً في اِختِيارِ الس

سَيرِ لَمّا سَعى إِلَيهِ اِضطِرارا

سَيرِ لَمّا سَعى إِلَيهِ اِضطِرارا

He departed, displaying fortitude in choosing the

Departing, feigning composure in choosing to depart,

Journey, though he undertook it under compulsion.

When he was driven to it against his will.

وَبِرُغمي وَرُغمِهِ اَن نَرى دا

وَبِرُغمي وَرُغمِهِ اَن نَرى دا

رَ لَذاذاتِنا لِشانيهِ دارا

رَ لَذاذاتِنا لِشانيهِ دارا

And against my will and his, we see the home

And despite my will and his, we will see a house

Of our delights become a home for one who hates him.

For our pleasures turned into one that brings us misery.

وَعَزيزٌ عَلَيَّ أَن تَقضِيَ الأَيّامُ

وَعَزيزٌ عَلَيَّ أَن تَقضِيَ الأَيّامُ

فيها لَغَيرِنا الأَوطارَ

فيها لَغَيرِنا الأَوطارَ

And it pains me that the days should fulfill

And it's hard for me that the days should pass in it

Others' wishes there, not ours.

For others taking turns.

وَلِوَجدي أَغارُ أَن تَقبَلَ الأَو

وَلِوَجدي أَغارُ أَن تَقبَلَ الأَو

طانُ مِن بَعدِ أَهلِها الأَغيارَ

طانُ مِن بَعدِ أَهلِها الأَغيارَ

And in my longing, I am jealous lest the homelands

And to my regret, I'm jealous that the places

Welcome strangers after their people have gone.

After their people should welcome strangers.

زادَها الأُنسُ وَحشَةً بِسِوى الأَح

زادَها الأُنسُ وَحشَةً بِسِوى الأَح

بابِ عِندي فَاِزدَدتُ عَنها نِفارا

بابِ عِندي فَاِزدَدتُ عَنها نِفارا

Companionship with any but my loved ones made them more desolate

Familiarity increased its desolation except for

To me; so I grew more averse to them.

Lovers - so I withdrew from it in hate.

لائَمي في تَهَتُّكي جُد عَلى القَل

لائَمي في تَهَتُّكي جُد عَلى القَل

بِ بِصَبرٍ أَو فَاِقبَلِ الأَعذارَ

بِ بِصَبرٍ أَو فَاِقبَلِ الأَعذارَ

You who reproach my lack of restraint, bestow on my heart

Blame me for my misery. Be gentle with

Patience, or else accept my excuses.

A heart that's patient or accept my excuses.

قَد تَسَلَّيتُ لَو وَجَدتُ سُلُوّاً

قَد تَسَلَّيتُ لَو وَجَدتُ سُلُوّاً

وَتَصَبَّرتُ لَو مَلَكتُ اِصطِبارا

وَتَصَبَّرتُ لَو مَلَكتُ اِصطِبارا

Indeed, I would have consoled myself, had I found solace,

I would have been consoled had I found solace

And I would have borne it patiently, had I possessed endurance.

And been patient had I been able to show endurance

وَتَسَتَّرتُ بِالدُنُوِّ وَلَكِن

وَتَسَتَّرتُ بِالدُنُوِّ وَلَكِن

كَشَفَ الحَجبُ بَينَنا الأَستارَ

كَشَفَ الحَجبُ بَينَنا الأَستارَ

And I veiled myself through nearness, but

I tried to conceal my love but

The veiling between us drew the curtains aside.

The veil was lifted between us and bars cast aside.