لا تسأل الركبَ بعد الفجر هل آبُوا

لا تسأل الركبَ بعد الفجر هل آبُوا

الرَّكبُ عاد وما في الرَّكبِ أصحابُ

الرَّكبُ عاد وما في الرَّكبِ أصحابُ

Do not ask the caravan after dawn whether they have returned.

Do not ask the caravan after dawn if they have returned

The caravan returned, but there are no friends in the caravan.

The caravan returned but there were no companions in it

تفرَّقوا في دروب الأرض وانْتَثَرُوا

تفرَّقوا في دروب الأرض وانْتَثَرُوا

كأنَّه لم يَكُنْ عَهْدٌ وأحبابُ

كأنَّه لم يَكُنْ عَهْدٌ وأحبابُ

They scattered along the earth's roads and dispersed.

They dispersed on the roads of the earth and scattered

As though there had been neither a bond nor loved ones.

As if there were no pacts or loved ones

ما في العَناقيد من أشعارهم حببٌ

ما في العَناقيد من أشعارهم حببٌ

والخمر من بعدهم في دنها صابُ

والخمر من بعدهم في دنها صابُ

There are no bubbles of their verse in the grape clusters.

There is no love in the grapes that remain

And after them, the wine in its jar is bitter sap.

And after them the wine in the jars has soured

يا طارق الباب رفقًا حين تَلْمَسه

يا طارق الباب رفقًا حين تَلْمَسه

لو كان في الدار خِلٌّ صفَّقَ الباب

لو كان في الدار خِلٌّ صفَّقَ الباب

O you who knock at the door, be gentle when you touch it.

O knocker of the door, knock gently

Had a dear friend been in the house, the door would have applauded.

If there were a friend in the house, he would have opened the door

بعضُ الدروب إلى الأوطان راجعةٌ

بعضُ الدروب إلى الأوطان راجعةٌ

وبعضُها في فضاء الله يَنْسَابُ

وبعضُها في فضاء الله يَنْسَابُ

Some roads lead back to homelands,

Some roads lead back to the homelands

And some of them flow through God's expanse.

While others flow into the void of God