وماand ... not أحدَثَbrought about النَّأىُdistance المُفَرِّقُthat separates بَينَناbetween us
وما أحدَثَ النَّأىُ المُفَرِّقُ بَينَنا
سُلُوّاًforgetfulness وَلاَnor طُولُlength اجتِماعِcompanionship تَقَالِياmutual aversion
سُلُوّاً وَلاَ طُولُ اجتِماعِ تَقَالِيا
And the distance that separates us has not brought
Neither prolonged separation nor reunion's length
forgetfulness, nor has long companionship brought mutual aversion.
Could alter the love between you and me
كَأَنas though لَمdid not يَكُنexist نَأىٌseparation إِذاif كانَthere was بَعدَهُafter it
كَأَن لَم يَكُن نَأىٌ إِذا كانَ بَعدَهُ
تَلاقٍa reunion وَلكنbut لاnot إِخالُI expect تَلاقِيَاa reunion
تَلاقٍ وَلكن لا إِخالُ تَلاقِيَا
It is as though there had been no separation, if it is followed by
As though no separation existed, when after it
a reunion—but I do not expect a reunion.
Comes reunion, but no cessation of reunion
خَلِيلَىَّmy two friends إِلاّif ... not تَبكِياyou two weep لِىَfor me أَلتَمِسI shall seek
خَلِيلَىَّ إِلاّ تَبكِيا لِىَ أَلتَمِس
خَلِيلاُa friend إِذاwhen أَنزَفتُI have exhausted دَمعِىmy tears بَكَىhe will weep لِيَاfor me
خَلِيلاُ إِذا أَنزَفتُ دَمعِى بَكَى لِيَا
My two friends, if you do not weep for me, I shall seek
My beloved friend, you cry for me as I seek
a friend who, when I have exhausted my tears, will weep for me.
A friend who weeps when I shed tears
لَقَدindeed خِفتُI feared أَنthat يَلقانِىmeets me المَوتُdeath بَغتَةَsuddenly
لَقَد خِفتُ أَن يَلقانِى المَوتُ بَغتَةَ
وَفِىand in النَّفسِthe soul حاجاتٌlongings إِلَيكِfor you (feminine) كَماas هِيَاthey are
وَفِى النَّفسِ حاجاتٌ إِلَيكِ كَما هِيَا
Indeed, I have feared that death might overtake me suddenly,
I feared sudden death would find me
with longings for you still unchanged within my soul.
With so many wishes for you still inside
وَدِدتُI wished عَلَىdespite حُبِّlove of الحَياةِlife لَوif only أنَّهاthat she
وَدِدتُ عَلَى حُبِّ الحَياةِ لَو أنَّها
يُزَادُis increased لَهاfor her فِىin عُمرِهاher lifespan مِنfrom حَياتِيَاmy life
يُزَادُ لَها فِى عُمرِها مِن حَياتِيَا
I wished, despite my love of life, that she
I wished for more life just to love it
might have her lifespan lengthened with some of my own life.
And add my years to its duration
وَقَدand may يَجمَعُbring together اللهُGod الشَّتِيتَينِthe two parted ones بَعدَماafter
وَقَد يَجمَعُ اللهُ الشَّتِيتَينِ بَعدَما
يَظُنَّانِthey both believe كُلَّall الظّنِّbelief أَنthat لاَno تَلاَقِيَاreunion
يَظُنَّانِ كُلَّ الظّنِّ أَن لاَ تَلاَقِيَا
And God may reunite the two who are parted, after
Perhaps after we thought never again
they are utterly convinced that there will be no reunion.
Would we meet, God may bring us together