لامَ المُحِبُّونَ الفِرَاقَ ولُمْتُهُ

لامَ المُحِبُّونَ الفِرَاقَ ولُمْتُهُ

لَكِنَّهُم سَئِمُوا ولَمَّا أَسْأَمِ

لَكِنَّهُم سَئِمُوا ولَمَّا أَسْأَمِ

Lovers blamed separation, and I blamed it.

The lovers do not blame separation or its pain

But they grew weary, while I have not yet grown weary.

But they grow weary when boredom sets in

ظَعَنُوا وَهُمْ قَدْ وَدَّعُوا أوْ سَلَّمُوا

ظَعَنُوا وَهُمْ قَدْ وَدَّعُوا أوْ سَلَّمُوا

وَظَعَنْتُ غَيْرَ مُوَدِّعٍ وَمُسَلِّمِ

وَظَعَنْتُ غَيْرَ مُوَدِّعٍ وَمُسَلِّمِ

They departed, having already bidden farewell or offered salutations.

They become depressed though already they bid farewell or handed over their goodbyes

And I departed without bidding farewell or offering salutations.

While I became depressed without having bidden farewell or handed over my goodbyes

فَعَلَيَّ فَلْتَبكِ البَوَاكِي إنَّنِي

فَعَلَيَّ فَلْتَبكِ البَوَاكِي إنَّنِي

أُخْرِجْتُ مِنْ وَطَنِي وَلَسْتُ بِمُجْرِمِ

أُخْرِجْتُ مِنْ وَطَنِي وَلَسْتُ بِمُجْرِمِ

So let the mourning women weep for me, for I

So let the weeping ones weep for me for I

Was driven from my homeland, though I am no criminal.

Was exiled from my homeland though no criminal was I

وأُضِعْتُ يَوْمَ وُضِعْتُ في أرْضٍ بِهَا

وأُضِعْتُ يَوْمَ وُضِعْتُ في أرْضٍ بِهَا

يَغْدُو الْفَصيحُ مُعَظِّماً للأَعْجَمِ

يَغْدُو الْفَصيحُ مُعَظِّماً للأَعْجَمِ

And I was neglected the day I was placed in a land where

And I was placed on the day I was placed in a land wherein

The eloquent man comes to show reverence to the inarticulate.

The eloquent would glorify the inarticulate

لا أَسْتَريحُ بِغَيْرِ لَيْلٍ أَلْيَلٍ

لا أَسْتَريحُ بِغَيْرِ لَيْلٍ أَلْيَلٍ

أَشْكُو تَطَاوُلَهُ ويَوْمٍ أيْوَمِ

أَشْكُو تَطَاوُلَهُ ويَوْمٍ أيْوَمِ

I find no rest except in a pitch-dark night,

I find no rest but in a long dark night

Whose length I lament, and a grievous day.

In which I lament its prolonging and each succeeding day