خلعت هياكلَها بِجَرعاءِ الحمى

خلعت هياكلَها بِجَرعاءِ الحمى

كَرهاً وقد أزفت لأن تَتعلَّقا

كَرهاً وقد أزفت لأن تَتعلَّقا

She cast off her bodily frames on the sanctuary’s sandy ground,

She shed her mantle in fever's reckless bout,

Reluctantly, though she was close to becoming attached.

Though time for parting was almost at hand,

لكنها ذكرَت عهودَ صفاتِها

لكنها ذكرَت عهودَ صفاتِها

وصبت لمغناها القديم تَشوُّقا

وصبت لمغناها القديم تَشوُّقا

But she recalled her qualities in bygone days,

For she recalled the days of grace gone by

And yearned for her ancient dwelling, full of longing.

And poured for her old song a longing grand,

وتلفتت نحو الديار فشاقَها

وتلفتت نحو الديار فشاقَها

عهدٌ قديمٌ كان مثواه البقا

عهدٌ قديمٌ كان مثواه البقا

She turned toward the dwellings, and her longing was stirred by

She glanced around at her abode so fair

An ancient bond whose abode had been eternity.

That ancient trysting-place that love did bless,

حنَّت حنين الإلف لما راقها

حنَّت حنين الإلف لما راقها

ربعٌ عفت أطلاله فتمزّقا

ربعٌ عفت أطلاله فتمزّقا

She yearned with a companion’s yearning when she was charmed by

She yearned with longing love for things familiar there

A dwelling whose traces had faded and which had fallen apart.

A place whose ruins muted grief express,

وقفت تسائله فرد جوابَها ال

وقفت تسائله فرد جوابَها ال

إقرار أنَّ غداً يكونُ الإلتقا

إقرار أنَّ غداً يكونُ الإلتقا

She stood questioning it, and the answer returned to her was the

She questioned it then harkened for an answer clear

Assurance that tomorrow there would be reunion.

If tomorrow would bring a hoped-for meeting, nay

لا تفرقي مما يجيب بزعمه

لا تفرقي مما يجيب بزعمه

رَجعُ الصدى أن لا سبيل إلى اللقا

رَجعُ الصدى أن لا سبيل إلى اللقا

Do not fear the answer purportedly given by

Believe him not who saith your goal is far

The returning echo: that there is no path to reunion.

Echo repeats that you shall not meet today,

فبكت بعين الحال معهد عهدِها ال

فبكت بعين الحال معهد عهدِها ال

مألوفِ ثم سمت بأوج الإرتقا

مألوفِ ثم سمت بأوج الإرتقا

So, with the eye of her condition, she wept for the abode of her

With tearful eyes she mourned the days of old

Familiar past; then she rose to the summit of ascent.

The dear familiar days that are no more

سُرَّت بمركزها القديم وأظهرت

سُرَّت بمركزها القديم وأظهرت

أسفاً على زمنٍ مضى فتفرَّقا

أسفاً على زمنٍ مضى فتفرَّقا

She rejoiced in her ancient center and expressed

Then proudly did her crest aloft she hold

Sorrow for a time that had passed and scattered away.

And grieved for that sweet time forever o'er

فكأنها برقٌ تألَّق بالحمى

فكأنها برقٌ تألَّق بالحمى

سَحَراً ينير الغرب ثم المشرقا

سَحَراً ينير الغرب ثم المشرقا

So she was like lightning that flashed in the sanctuary,

As lightning in the fever she flashed bright

Before dawn, lighting the west and then the east.

Enchantment glowing in both east and west

نُشرَت أشعتُه بأفق سمائه

نُشرَت أشعتُه بأفق سمائه

ثم انطوى فكأنه ما أبرقا

ثم انطوى فكأنه ما أبرقا

Its rays were spread along the horizon of its sky;

Her rays were scattered over heaven’s height

Then it folded away, as though it had never flashed.

Then folded as if they had ne’er been blessed.