قصّرتُI fell short فيin ودّيmy love وخنتُand I betrayed وفائيmy loyalty
قصّرتُ في ودّي وخنتُ وفائي
إنif لمnot يطلlast long حزناًin sorrow عليكfor you بكائيmy weeping
إن لم يطل حزناً عليك بكائي
I have fallen short in my love and betrayed my loyalty,
My affection fell short and my loyalty betrayed
if my weeping for you does not last long in sorrow.
If my weeping with grief for you does not persist
نبأnews تقطعتwere torn apart القلوبَthe hearts منfrom الأسىgrief
نبأ تقطعت القلوبَ من الأسى
لسماعهِat hearing it لاnot (expressing a wish) كانhave been فيamong الأنباءthe tidings
لسماعهِ لا كان في الأنباء
News that tore hearts apart with grief
News that rends hearts with sorrow
at hearing it—would that it had never been among the tidings!
Just to hear it, it was not among reports