أعفر في الثرى خدا ذليلا

وأسعد في نياحته الهديلا

I rub a humbled cheek in the dust,

And join the cooing dove in its lament.

فخوفي من قطيعتكم براني

وأورثني المذلة والخمولا

For my fear of your estrangement has wasted me away,

And bequeathed me humiliation and obscurity.

شفيعي عندكم ذلَ افتقاري

وأنى قد حللت بكم نزيلا

My intercessor before you is the humility of my need,

And that I have lodged with you as a guest.

أيقصى لائذٌ بكم معنى

وكيف وظلكم أضحى ظليلا

Is a tormented man seeking refuge in you driven away?

And how could he be, when your shade has grown so deep?

فجودوا بتقريب وأدنوا

قصياً يرتجى منكم وصولا

So be generous in granting nearness, and bring close

One far away, who hopes for union with you.

لئن أصبحت محجوباً فما لي

سوى أن أذرف الدمع الهمولا

If I have become shut out, I have no recourse

But to shed tears in torrents.

متى يدنو لمغناكم فيجنى

بروض الأنس والقرب القبولا

When will he draw near your abode and reap

Acceptance in the garden of intimacy and nearness?

فواكبداه من نار الأسى كم

تضرمه وتذكيه غليلا

Alas for my liver! How often sorrow's fire

Burns it and inflames it with searing anguish

على أيام عمر قد تولّت

وأبقت في الفؤاد جوى دخيلا

Over the days of a lifetime that have passed away

And left deep-seated anguish in the heart.

فهل من مسعد لي في انتحابي

فيسعدني وأسعده طويلا

Is there anyone to join me in my sobbing,

So he may weep with me, and I with him, at length?

عسى نفحات روض الجود تسرى

فيحيى نشقُها صبا عليلا

May breezes from the garden of generosity drift forth,

So breathing them may revive an ailing lover.

خذوا بيد الفقير فليس يرجى

سواكم في مخيّره دليلا

Take the poor man by the hand, for he looks to

None but you as a guide in his choosing.