1. أتيحَ مِنَ الحينِ المُتاحِ لِقَلبِهِ

    ثَلاثَةُ أَنواعٍ وَآخرَ رابِعُ

    Of the doom destined for his heart, there were allotted

    Three kinds, and another—a fourth:

  2. فِراقٌ وَهجرانٌ وَلَيلٌ كَأَنَّما

    تُجاذِبُهُ الإِصباحَ أَيدٍ نَوازِعُ

    Parting, estrangement, and a night, as though

    Tugging hands were wrestling with it for dawn.

  3. وَإِنِّي مَتى أَنظُر إِلى مَن أُحِبُّهُ

    أَشارَت من الأَعداء نَحوي الأَصابِعُ

    And indeed, whenever I look at the one I love,

    The enemies’ fingers point toward me.

  4. فَلا البَينُ مَأمونٌ وَلا الهَجرُ مُبعَدٌ

    وَلا يَفتُرُ الواشي وَلا الصُّبحُ ساطِعُ

    So there is no safety from parting, nor is estrangement kept away,

    Nor does the tale-bearer relent, nor does dawn shine.