إِذا كانَ دَمعي شاهِدي كَيفَ أَجحَدُ

إِذا كانَ دَمعي شاهِدي كَيفَ أَجحَدُ

وَنارُ اِشتِياقي في الحَشا تَتَوَقَّدُ

وَنارُ اِشتِياقي في الحَشا تَتَوَقَّدُ

If my tears are my witness, how can I deny it?

If my tears bear witness, how can I deny?

And the fire of my longing blazes in my breast.

And the fire of my longing in the darkness kindles.

وَهَيهاتَ يَخفى ما أُكِنُّ مِنَ الهَوى

وَهَيهاتَ يَخفى ما أُكِنُّ مِنَ الهَوى

وَثَوبُ سِقامي كُلَّ يَومٍ يُجَدَّدُ

وَثَوبُ سِقامي كُلَّ يَومٍ يُجَدَّدُ

And the love I conceal can never stay hidden,

Alas! My love cannot be concealed,

And the robe of my sickness is renewed each day.

And my coat of sickness is renewed each day.

أُقاتِلُ أَشواقي بِصَبري تَجَلُّداً

أُقاتِلُ أَشواقي بِصَبري تَجَلُّداً

وَقَلبِيَ في قَيدِ الغَرامِ مُقَيَّدُ

وَقَلبِيَ في قَيدِ الغَرامِ مُقَيَّدُ

I battle my longings with my patience, steeling myself,

I battle my passions with fortitude,

And my heart is bound in the fetters of love.

Though my heart is bound by chains of love.

إِلى اللَهِ أَشكو جَورَ قَومي وَظُلمَهُم

إِلى اللَهِ أَشكو جَورَ قَومي وَظُلمَهُم

إِذا لَم أَجِد خِلّاً عَلى البُعدِ يَعضُدُ

إِذا لَم أَجِد خِلّاً عَلى البُعدِ يَعضُدُ

To God I complain of my people's oppression and their injustice,

To God I complain of the wrong and injustice of my people,

When I find no close friend to support me across the distance.

When I find no intimate to support me in separation.

خَليلَيَّ أَمسى حُبُّ عَبلَةَ قاتِلي

خَليلَيَّ أَمسى حُبُّ عَبلَةَ قاتِلي

وَبَأسي شَديدٌ وَالحُسامُ مُهَنَّدُ

وَبَأسي شَديدٌ وَالحُسامُ مُهَنَّدُ

O my two friends, love for Abla has become my slayer,

My friend became the love of my murderous Ublah,

Yet my might is great, and the keen sword is of Indian steel.

And my might is formidable, my sword unsheathed.

حَرامٌ عَلَيَّ النَومُ يا اِبنَةَ مالِكٍ

حَرامٌ عَلَيَّ النَومُ يا اِبنَةَ مالِكٍ

وَمِن فَرشُهُ جَمرُ الغَضا كَيفَ يَرقُدُ

وَمِن فَرشُهُ جَمرُ الغَضا كَيفَ يَرقُدُ

Sleep is forbidden to me, O daughter of Malik,

Sleep is forbidden to me, O daughter of Malik!

And how can one whose bed is ghada-wood embers sleep?

How can embers of sorrow find rest on such a bed?

سَأَندُبُ حَتّى يَعلَمَ الطَيرُ أَنَّني

سَأَندُبُ حَتّى يَعلَمَ الطَيرُ أَنَّني

حَزينٌ وَيَرثي لي الحَمامُ المُغَرِّدُ

حَزينٌ وَيَرثي لي الحَمامُ المُغَرِّدُ

I shall lament until the birds know that I am

I will mourn until the birds know my grief,

Sorrowful, and the singing doves take pity on me.

And the cooing dove laments for me.

وَأَلثِمُ أَرضاً أَنتِ فيها مُقيمَةٌ

وَأَلثِمُ أَرضاً أَنتِ فيها مُقيمَةٌ

لَعَلَّ لَهيبي مِن ثَرى الأَرضِ يَبرُدُ

لَعَلَّ لَهيبي مِن ثَرى الأَرضِ يَبرُدُ

And I kiss the ground where you dwell,

I will kiss the earth where you dwell,

Perhaps the earth's moist soil will cool my flame.

Hoping the flames of my passion find cooling in the soil.

رَحَلتِ وَقَلبي يا اِبنَةِ العَمِّ تائِهٌ

رَحَلتِ وَقَلبي يا اِبنَةِ العَمِّ تائِهٌ

عَلى أَثَرِ الأَظعانِ لِلرَكبِ يَنشُدُ

عَلى أَثَرِ الأَظعانِ لِلرَكبِ يَنشُدُ

You have departed, O my uncle's daughter, and my heart wanders,

You left, and my heart wanders aimlessly, O niece,

Along the camel litters' trail, seeking the caravan.

Seeking the caravan’s trail like one lost.

لَئِن يَشمَتِ الأَعداءُ يا بِنتَ مالِكٍ

لَئِن يَشمَتِ الأَعداءُ يا بِنتَ مالِكٍ

فَإِنَّ وِدادي مِثلَما كانَ يَعهَدُ

فَإِنَّ وِدادي مِثلَما كانَ يَعهَدُ

Even if the enemies gloat, O daughter of Malik,

If my enemies rejoice, O daughter of Malik,

My love remains just as it was known before.

My love endures as it always did.