شَجاني صائِحٌ يَدعو بِبَينٍ

شَجاني صائِحٌ يَدعو بِبَينٍ

وَأَرَّقَني بُكاءُ الباكِيينِ

وَأَرَّقَني بُكاءُ الباكِيينِ

A crier announcing parting grieved me,

A chanter calling out with separation

And the weeping of mourners kept me sleepless.

Has kept me awake, the weeping of the weepers

وَناحَ الطّائِرانِ فَهَيَّجاني

وَناحَ الطّائِرانِ فَهَيَّجاني

وَشَوَّقَني بُكاءُ الطايِرينِ

وَشَوَّقَني بُكاءُ الطايِرينِ

And the two birds lamented, stirring my sorrow,

And the moaning of two birds stirred me

And the two birds’ weeping stirred my longing.

And the crying of the fowl made me yearn

بَكَيتُ فَأَسعَداني حينَ ناحا

بَكَيتُ فَأَسعَداني حينَ ناحا

فَلَم أَرَ مِثلَ ذَينكَ مُسعِدَينِ

فَلَم أَرَ مِثلَ ذَينكَ مُسعِدَينِ

I wept, and they joined my weeping when they lamented;

I wept, so they made me happy when they moaned

So I have seen no companions in weeping like those two.

I have never seen the like of you two gladdening

كَأَنَّهُما أَرادا أَن يهيجا

كَأَنَّهُما أَرادا أَن يهيجا

هَوايَ فَأَبكَيا قَلبي وَعَيني

هَوايَ فَأَبكَيا قَلبي وَعَيني

It was as though they both wished to stir

It is as if they wanted to provoke

My passion, and so made my heart and eye weep.

My passion, so they made my heart and eye weep

أَطَلتَ مَلامَتي يا صاحِ جَهلاً

أَطَلتَ مَلامَتي يا صاحِ جَهلاً

وَبَعضُ اللَّومِ شَينٌ غَيرُ زَينِ

وَبَعضُ اللَّومِ شَينٌ غَيرُ زَينِ

You have prolonged your reproach of me, my friend, in ignorance,

You have blamed me unjustly out of ignorance

And some reproach is a blemish, not an adornment.

Some blame is disgraceful, not beautiful

وَلَو كُنتَ العَليم بِما أَلاقي

وَلَو كُنتَ العَليم بِما أَلاقي

عَطِفتَ عَلَيَّ عَطفَ الوالِدَينِ

عَطِفتَ عَلَيَّ عَطفَ الوالِدَينِ

And had you known what I endure,

If you knew what I suffer

You would have shown me the tenderness of parents.

You would have pity on me like parents

حُرِمتُ نَوالَها مِن غَيرِ ذَنب

حُرِمتُ نَوالَها مِن غَيرِ ذَنب

سِوى كَذِبٍ رُميتُ بِهِ وَمَينِ

سِوى كَذِبٍ رُميتُ بِهِ وَمَينِ

I was denied her favor through no fault of mine,

I am deprived of her gifts though innocent

Save a falsehood laid to my charge, and a lie.

Except for lies I was accused of and disgraced

إِذا سُمِعَت مَقالاتُ الأَعادي

إِذا سُمِعَت مَقالاتُ الأَعادي

فَذاكَ فَسادُ بَينَ العاشِقينِ

فَذاكَ فَسادُ بَينَ العاشِقينِ

When the enemies’ words are heard,

When enemies' words are heard

That brings discord between lovers.

That corruption comes between lovers

عَلَيكَ مواعِدٌ أَقسَمتُ إِلَّا

عَلَيكَ مواعِدٌ أَقسَمتُ إِلَّا

وَفَيتَ بِهِنَّ لي وَقَضَيتَ دَيني

وَفَيتَ بِهِنَّ لي وَقَضَيتَ دَيني

You have promises to keep; I adjure you:

You made promises to me except

Fulfill them for me and pay the debt you owe me.

You failed them for me and paid off my debt