قَطَعتَyou severed عُرىthe bonds وُدّيmy affection وَخُنتَand you betrayed أَمانَتيmy trust
قَطَعتَ عُرى وُدّي وَخُنتَ أَمانَتي
وَأَبدَيتَand you expressed ليto me عَتباًreproach وَلَمand did not تَقبَلِaccept العُتبىamends
وَأَبدَيتَ لي عَتباً وَلَم تَقبَلِ العُتبى
You severed the bonds of my affection and betrayed my trust.
You severed the ties of my love and betrayed my trust
And you voiced reproach to me, yet would not accept amends.
And reproached me yet did not accept reproach
فَياso, ah رُبَّmany a لَيلٍnight لاnot يُرَجّىis hoped for صَباحُهُits dawn
فَيا رُبَّ لَيلٍ لا يُرَجّى صَباحُهُ
تَحَمَّلتُI endured فيهِin it ماwhat كَرِهتُI hated كَماas تَهوىyou desire
تَحَمَّلتُ فيهِ ما كَرِهتُ كَما تَهوى
Ah, how many a night with no hope of dawn,
Oh Lord of a night with no hoped-for dawn
In which I endured what I hated, just as you wished.
In it I endured what I disliked as you wished
فَياso, O حَسرَتيmy sorrow إِنif رَدَّturned back كَفَّيَmy hand مانِعٌa withholder
فَيا حَسرَتي إِن رَدَّ كَفَّيَ مانِعٌ
فَقَصَّرَهاand held it back عَمّاfrom what تُحِبُّit loves مِنَof الدُنياthis world
فَقَصَّرَها عَمّا تُحِبُّ مِنَ الدُنيا
And alas for me if a withholder turns back my hand,
Oh what a regret if a preventer holds back my palms
And keeps it from what it loves in this world.
And restricts them from what I love in this life
وَماand not بُغيَتيmy desire فيin مِنَّةٍa favor ليfor me أَنالُهاI obtain it
وَما بُغيَتي في مِنَّةٍ لي أَنالُها
وَأَبلُغُهاand I attain it إِلّاexcept that نَظَرتُI looked إِلىtoward أُخرىanother
وَأَبلُغُها إِلّا نَظَرتُ إِلى أُخرى
And no sooner do I gain a favor I desire for myself
My ambition was not for a favor I could obtain
And attain it than I look toward another.
And attain, but only that I might look upon another