عَدِمْتُ دَهْراً وُلِدْتُ فيه

عَدِمْتُ دَهْراً وُلِدْتُ فيه

كَم أَشربُ المُرَّ مِن بنيه

كَم أَشربُ المُرَّ مِن بنيه

May I be rid of the age in which I was born!

I missed an era in which I was born

How much bitterness I drink from its sons!

How much bitterness do I drink from its people

ما تَعتَريني الهمومُ إِلّا

ما تَعتَريني الهمومُ إِلّا

مِن صاحِبٍ كُنتُ أَصطَفيه

مِن صاحِبٍ كُنتُ أَصطَفيه

No cares assail me except

Worries befall me only

From a companion I used to favor.

From a friend I used to choose

فَهل صَديق يُبَاعُ حتّى

فَهل صَديق يُبَاعُ حتّى

بِمُهجَتي كُنتُ أَشتَريه

بِمُهجَتي كُنتُ أَشتَريه

Is there, then, a friend for sale, so that

Can a friend be sold until

I might buy him with my lifeblood—

With my brain I used to buy him

يكون في قلبه مِثَالٌ

يكون في قلبه مِثَالٌ

يشبه ما صاغ لي بفِيه

يشبه ما صاغ لي بفِيه

One whose heart holds an image

To have an example in his heart

Resembling what he fashioned for me with his mouth?

That resembles what his mouth portrayed to me

وكم صديقٍ رَغِبْتُ عنه

وكم صديقٍ رَغِبْتُ عنه

قد عِشْتُ حتى رَغِبْتُ فيه

قد عِشْتُ حتى رَغِبْتُ فيه

And many a friend I turned away from—

And how many friends I desired

I have lived long enough to yearn for him.

I lived until I desired him