وقد كنت لا أرضى من النيل بالرضا

وقد كنت لا أرضى من النيل بالرضا

وأقبل ما فوق الرضا متلوما

وأقبل ما فوق الرضا متلوما

I once would not be content to gain mere approval,

I was not satisfied with the Nile being merely content

and accepted even more than approval only with hesitation.

And I moved beyond contentment burdened with blame

فلما تفرقنا وشطت بنا النوى

فلما تفرقنا وشطت بنا النوى

قنعت بطيفٍ منك يأتي مسلما

قنعت بطيفٍ منك يأتي مسلما

But when we parted and separation carried us far apart,

But when we parted and determination blew us apart

I settled for a dream-vision of you coming to greet me.

I was satisfied with a phantom of you coming in peace

فساعفني وهناً خيالك في الكرى

فساعفني وهناً خيالك في الكرى

فزار وحيا ثم قام فسلما

فزار وحيا ثم قام فسلما

Then your phantom aided me, late at night, in sleep;

So double for me the solace of your imagination

he visited and greeted me, then rose and bade farewell.

Who visited, greeted, then rose and bid farewell

بنفسي وأهلي من خيالٍ ألم بي

بنفسي وأهلي من خيالٍ ألم بي

فداوى سقامي ثم بان فأسقما

فداوى سقامي ثم بان فأسقما

May my life and family be ransom for the phantom that visited me:

By my soul and family from an imagination that pained me

he healed my sickness, then departed and made me ill again.

So it cured my sickness then appeared and made me sick

فوا حسرتا لم أدر أنى أهتدى لنا

فوا حسرتا لم أدر أنى أهتدى لنا

ولم أدر إذ ولى إلى أين يمما

ولم أدر إذ ولى إلى أين يمما

And oh, my sorrow! I knew not how he found his way to us,

Oh what sorrow I did not know where to find guidance for us

nor did I know, when he left, where he was headed.

Nor did I know when he turned away where he intended

رعاه ضمان اللَه في كل حالةٍ

رعاه ضمان اللَه في كل حالةٍ

وإن ذرفت عيني لفرقته دما

وإن ذرفت عيني لفرقته دما

May God's protection guard him in every circumstance,

May God protect him in every situation

even if my eye sheds blood at parting from him.

And if my eyes shed tears at our separation, it would be blood