خليلي أبا بَكرٍ فَهَل ثَمَّ حيلة

خليلي أبا بَكرٍ فَهَل ثَمَّ حيلة

يَكونُ إليها في نَوَاكَ رُجوعِي

يَكونُ إليها في نَوَاكَ رُجوعِي

My dear friend Abu Bakr, is there some remedy

My friend Abu Bakr, is there any way

to which I might turn in your absence?

For me to return to your embrace?

سَيُخبِرُكَ السُّلوَانُ أَنِّي رُمتُهُ

سَيُخبِرُكَ السُّلوَانُ أَنِّي رُمتُهُ

فَحال اشتِيَاقِي دُونَهُ وَنُزُوعِي

فَحال اشتِيَاقِي دُونَهُ وَنُزُوعِي

Solace will tell you that I sought it,

The night birds will tell you I called out to you

but my longing and yearning kept me from it.

My yearning for you held me back from fleeing

ولو كُنتَ في غَيرِ الضُّلوعِ مُخَيّماً

ولو كُنتَ في غَيرِ الضُّلوعِ مُخَيّماً

عَذَرتُ على هذا الحنين ضُلُوعِي

عَذَرتُ على هذا الحنين ضُلُوعِي

And were you encamped anywhere but within my ribs,

If you were not nestled so deep in my heart

I would excuse my ribs for this yearning.

I would forgive this aching of my ribs