مضيتَ وخلَّفتني للأسى

مضيتَ وخلَّفتني للأسى

عديمَ العزاءِ فقيدَ الأُسى

عديمَ العزاءِ فقيدَ الأُسى

You went away and left me to sorrow,

You went away, leaving me to sorrow,

devoid of solace, bereft of consolation.

Bereft of solace, bereaved of joy.

أعُدُّ الصديقَ عدوّاً ولا

أعُدُّ الصديقَ عدوّاً ولا

ألذُّ الجليسَ ولا المجلسا

ألذُّ الجليسَ ولا المجلسا

I count a friend as an enemy, and do not

I count the friend as foe, and find

delight in a companion or a gathering.

No sweetness in companion or in place.

أبا القاسمِ اغتصبتْكَ النَّوى

أبا القاسمِ اغتصبتْكَ النَّوى

أم اخترتَ مَلْبَسَها ملبسا

أم اخترتَ مَلْبَسَها ملبسا

O Abu al-Qasim, did separation snatch you away,

O Abul-Kasim, did the parting spirits rob you,

or did you choose its garb as your attire?

Or did you choose their garb for your attire?

فسِرْتَ وأوحشتَ منْ لم تزلْ

فسِرْتَ وأوحشتَ منْ لم تزلْ

له عند وحْشَتِهِ مُؤنِسا

له عند وحْشَتِهِ مُؤنِسا

So you departed, leaving desolate the one to whom you had always

You went your way, leaving your lonely friend

been a companion in his loneliness—

Forlorn, who once could call on you when lorn.

أخاً بات فيك يناجي المنى

أخاً بات فيك يناجي المنى

فطوراً لعلَّ وطوراً عسى

فطوراً لعلَّ وطوراً عسى

a brother who spent the night communing with his hopes of you,

A brother cried his wishes day and night

now saying 'perhaps,' and now 'may it be.'

At dawn, perhaps today will bring relief;

وكان الزمانُ به رافقاً

وكان الزمانُ به رافقاً

فلمَّا قسَوْتَ عليه قسا

فلمَّا قسَوْتَ عليه قسا

And Time had been gentle with him,

And when time favored him, it turned aside,

but when you grew harsh toward him, it grew harsh.

And when you hardened, it in turn grew hard.

لئن ظلَّ من وجده مُثْرياً

لئن ظلَّ من وجده مُثْرياً

لقد ظلَّ من صبرِه مُفْلِسا

لقد ظلَّ من صبرِه مُفْلِسا

If he has remained rich in longing,

Who found you generous reaped ample fruit,

he has surely remained bankrupt of patience.

Who taxed your patience beggared his hope.

رماهُ الفراقُ على غِرَّةٍ

رماهُ الفراقُ على غِرَّةٍ

وكان إذا ما رمى قرْطَسا

وكان إذا ما رمى قرْطَسا

Separation struck him unawares,

Parting has cast me on rejection's shore,

and whenever it shot, it hit the mark.

Parting, which does confound the skilled in lore.

وأنطقَ عنه لسان الصِّبا

وأنطقَ عنه لسان الصِّبا

جوىً مثلُه يُنْطِقُ الأخرسا

جوىً مثلُه يُنْطِقُ الأخرسا

And the tongue of youth was made to speak for him

The morning breeze for me doth speak your name,

by an anguish whose like makes the mute speak.

As though it echoed in a calling voice.

أبا القاسمِ المكتَسي للعلا

أبا القاسمِ المكتَسي للعلا

مُحَبَّرَةً قَلَّ ما تُكْتَسى

مُحَبَّرَةً قَلَّ ما تُكْتَسى

O Abu al-Qasim, arrayed for glory

O Scribe of learning, lustrous as the day,

in a richly patterned robe that is seldom worn,

How few are garbed as you are with renown!

عليك سلامُ فتىً غادرتْ

عليك سلامُ فتىً غادرتْ

نواك ضُحى يومِهِ حِنْدِسا

نواك ضُحى يومِهِ حِنْدِسا

peace upon you from a young man whose

On you my greetings rest, youth I betrayed,

day's bright forenoon your departure left pitch-dark.

Whose bright-lit morn eve's shadows overcast.

لو أَنَّ النوى قَبِلَتْ رشوةً

لو أَنَّ النوى قَبِلَتْ رشوةً

إِذاً لرشونا النَّوى الأنْفُسا

إِذاً لرشونا النَّوى الأنْفُسا

Had separation accepted a bribe,

Had we but bribed the spirits with our souls,

then we would have bribed separation with our souls.

Those precious souls we would have offered them!