أَقولُ وَقَد أَرسَلتُ أَوَّلَ نَظرَةٍ

أَقولُ وَقَد أَرسَلتُ أَوَّلَ نَظرَةٍ

وَلَم أَرَ مَن أَهوى قَريباً إِلى جَنبي

وَلَم أَرَ مَن أَهوى قَريباً إِلى جَنبي

I say, having cast my first glance,

I say, though I sent my first glance

and not seen the one I love close beside me:

And did not see whom I love near my side

لَئِن كُنتُ أَخليتُ المَكانَ الَّذي أَرى

لَئِن كُنتُ أَخليتُ المَكانَ الَّذي أَرى

فَهَيهاتَ أَن يَخلو مَكانُكَ مِن قَلبي

فَهَيهاتَ أَن يَخلو مَكانُكَ مِن قَلبي

Even if I have left the place I see empty,

If I left the place where I see you

your place in my heart can never be left empty.

Alas! Your place will not leave my heart

وَكُنتُ أَظَنَّ الشَوقَ لِلبُعدِ وَحدَهُ

وَكُنتُ أَظَنَّ الشَوقَ لِلبُعدِ وَحدَهُ

وَلَم أَدرِ أَنَّ الشَوقَ لِلبُعدِ وَالقُربِ

وَلَم أَدرِ أَنَّ الشَوقَ لِلبُعدِ وَالقُربِ

And I had thought longing was for distance alone,

I thought yearning was for distance alone

and did not know that longing is for distance and nearness.

Yet I knew not that yearning is for distance and nearness

خَلا مِنكَ قَلبي وَاِمتَلا مِنكَ خاطِري

خَلا مِنكَ قَلبي وَاِمتَلا مِنكَ خاطِري

كَأَنَّكَ مِن عَيني نَقَلتَ إِلى قَلبي

كَأَنَّكَ مِن عَيني نَقَلتَ إِلى قَلبي

My heart was empty of you, and my mind was filled with you,

My heart emptied of you, my thoughts filled with you

as though you had moved from my eye into my heart.

As though from my eye you moved into my heart