ياO قلبheart قدindeed أشقاكmade you wretched ضيرaffliction
يا قلب قد أشقاك ضير
مذsince غابwent away بسامever-smiling الثغيرthe little mouth
مذ غاب بسام الثغير
O heart, affliction has indeed made you wretched,
O heart, you have suffered grief
Since the one with the smiling little mouth went away.
Since the one with the shining smile left,
لمdid not تنسyou forget ماضيthe past of العيشlife فيin القصرthe palace
لم تنس ماضي العيش في القصر
المطلoverlooking علىover النهيرthe little river
المطل على النهير
You have not forgotten the life once lived in the palace
You can’t forget the past life in the palace
Overlooking the little river.
Overlooking the river,
أيامdays كانتshe used to لاnot تميزناdistinguish us
أيام كانت لا تميزنا
زهيرةZuhayra عنfrom زهيرZuhayr
زهيرة عن زهير
Days when we were not distinguished
Days when Zahira was no different than Zahir,
By Zuhayra from Zuhayr.
Days when we would never stop
أيامdays كناwe used to لاnot نكفwe cease
أيام كنا لا نكف
عنfrom التهكمmockery منat شقيرShuqayr
عن التهكم من شقير
Days when we never ceased
Mocking Shakir,
Mocking Shuqayr.
We would spend our gilded days
نقضيwe spend علىupon الرملthe sand المذهبgilded
نقضي على الرمل المذهب
يومناour day جرياًrunning وسيرand walking
يومنا جرياً وسير
We spent upon the gilded sand
Strolling and walking on the sand,
Our day running and walking.
We would flutter over the water
كناwe used to نرفwe flutter علىover المياthe water (continued)
كنا نرف على الميا
هcompletion of 'water' كأنناas though we were أسرابflocks طيرbirds
ه كأننا أسراب طير
We would flutter over the water,
Like flocks of birds,
As though we were flocks of birds.
And the absence of someone made us miserable,
ويسؤوناand saddens us منwhoever غابwent away بلyet
ويسؤونا من غاب بل
ويسرناand gladdens us أنجاءthat ... came غيرsomeone else
ويسرنا أنجاء غير
And whoever went away saddened us; yet
While the company of others made us happy,
Another's coming made us glad.
We would play and frolic, unable to distinguish
نلهوwe frolic ونلعبand we play لاnot نفرقwe distinguish
نلهو ونلعب لا نفرق
بينbetween أحمدAhmad أوor عزيرUzayr
بين أحمد أو عزير
We frolicked and played, making no distinction
Between Ahmed or Aziz,
Between Ahmad and Uzayr.
A time gone by when we didn't calculate
زمنa time مضىpassed لمdid not ندرwe know فيهin it
زمن مضى لم ندر فيه
حسابreckoning منكرMunkar أوor نكيرNakir
حساب منكر أو نكير
A time gone by, when we knew nothing
Any shameful or pure deeds,
Of the reckoning of Munkar or Nakir.
Since he left us, the sweetness of my days has changed into sorrow,
مذsince راحdeparted عناfrom us قدindeed تبدلhas changed
مذ راح عنا قد تبدل
صفوserenity أياميmy days بضيرinto affliction
صفو أيامي بضير
Since he left us, there has been a change:
And when I remember the days of his company,
My days' serenity has turned to affliction.
It's as if remembering every good thing.
ولئنand if indeed ذكرتI recalled زمانهhis time
ولئن ذكرت زمانه
فكمنthen like one who تذكرremembered كلevery خيرgood thing
فكمن تذكر كل خير
And if I recall his time,
Then I am like one recalling every good thing.
Partial English translation: 20 of 22 Arabic lines translated.