ولوand if أنّنيthat I استمددتُI drew ink منfrom ماءِthe water of مقلتيmy eye
ولو أنّني استمددتُ من ماءِ مقلتي
لجاءتكَwould have reached you كتبيmy letters وهميand my sorrow حُمرٌred سطورُهاtheir lines
لجاءتكَ كتبي وهمي حُمرٌ سطورُها
And if I had drawn my ink from the tears of my eye,
If only I could draw from the water of my tears,
My letters and my sorrow would have reached you, their lines red.
My letters to you would be crimson lines.
وكيفand how تُلامُis blamed العينُthe eye إنif قطرتit dripped دماblood
وكيف تُلامُ العينُ إن قطرت دما
وقدand indeed غابdeparted عنهاfrom it نومُهاits sleep وسرورُهاand its joy
وقد غاب عنها نومُها وسرورُها
And how can the eye be blamed if it sheds blood,
How can the eyes be blamed if they weep blood
When its sleep and its joy have deserted it?
When sleep and joy have left them far behind?