ما حلَّ بي منكَ وَقْتَ مُنْصَرَفي

ما حلَّ بي منكَ وَقْتَ مُنْصَرَفي

ما كنتُ إلا فريسةَ التلفِ

ما كنتُ إلا فريسةَ التلفِ

What befell me because of you at the moment of my departure!

What befell me from you when I turned away

I was nothing but prey to death.

I was nothing but prey to ruination

كم قال لي الشوقُ قفْ لتلثمَهُ

كم قال لي الشوقُ قفْ لتلثمَهُ

فقال خوفُ الرقيبِ لم أَقِف

فقال خوفُ الرقيبِ لم أَقِف

How often longing told me, “Stop to kiss him!”

How often did yearning say to me, stop to kiss it

Then fear of the watcher spoke; I did not stop.

But fear of the watcher said, Do not stop

بسطتُ خطوي كَرْهاً وقد قبَضَتْ

بسطتُ خطوي كَرْهاً وقد قبَضَتْ

رجلي عن الخطو شِدَّةُ الكَلَف

رجلي عن الخطو شِدَّةُ الكَلَف

I lengthened my stride unwillingly, though it had held

I stretched my steps unwillingly, though my feet

My foot back from stepping—the intensity of passion.

Were held back from stepping by utter exhaustion

فكان جسمي في زيِّ منطلِقٍ

فكان جسمي في زيِّ منطلِقٍ

وكان قلبي في زيِّ منعطف

وكان قلبي في زيِّ منعطف

So my body wore the guise of one departing,

So my body was in the garb of one departing

And my heart wore the guise of one turning back.

While my heart was in the garb of one held back