هَلَّاwhy did you not ابتَكرْتَyou set out early لبَينٍfor a parting أنتَyou مُبْتَكِرُone who sets out early
هَلَّا ابتَكرْتَ لبَينٍ أنتَ مُبْتَكِرُ
هَيهاتَfar from it يأبىdenies عَليْكَto you اللَّهُGod وَالقَدَرُand fate
هَيهاتَ يأبى عَليْكَ اللَّهُ وَالقَدَرُ
Why did you not set out early for a parting you are hastening toward?
Why do you devise separation, you who devise?
Far from it! God and fate deny you this.
Alas, God and fate refuse you this.
مَاnot زِلْتُI ceased أبكِيI weep حِذارَin dread of البَينِparting مُلْتَهفاًanguished
مَا زِلْتُ أبكِي حِذارَ البَينِ مُلْتَهفاً
حَتَّىuntil رَثىtook pity ليَon me فِيكَover you الرِّيحُthe wind وَالمَطَرُand the rain
حَتَّى رَثى ليَ فِيكَ الرِّيحُ وَالمَطَرُ
I kept weeping, anguished, in dread of parting,
I wept in fear of separation, distraught,
Until the wind and rain took pity on me over you.
Until the wind and rain wept for me over you.
ياO بَردَهُits coolness مِنْfrom حَياrain مُزنٍrainclouds علىupon كَبِدٍa liver
يا بَردَهُ مِنْ حَيا مُزنٍ على كَبِدٍ
نِيرانُهاits fires بِغليلِwith the burning thirst of الشَّوْقِlonging تَسْتَعِرُblaze
نِيرانُها بِغليلِ الشَّوْقِ تَسْتَعِرُ
Oh, how cooling is the rain from rainclouds upon a liver
O coolness of a troubled life, in an aching heart -
Whose fires blaze with longing’s burning thirst!
Its fires, from the turmoil of yearning, flare up.
آلَيتُI vowed ألاnot to أرىI see شمساًa sun ولاnor قمراًa moon
آلَيتُ ألا أرى شمساً ولا قمراً
حتىuntil أرَاكَI see you فأنتَfor you are الشمسُthe sun والقمرُand the moon
حتى أرَاكَ فأنتَ الشمسُ والقمرُ
I vowed to see neither sun nor moon
I have vowed never to see sun or moon
Until I see you, for you are the sun and the moon.
Until I see you, for you are my sun and moon.