لَستُ أنسَى الأحبَاب مَا دُمتُ حَيَّا

لَستُ أنسَى الأحبَاب مَا دُمتُ حَيَّا

ولَعَمرِي نَأوا مَكَاناً قَصِيَّا

ولَعَمرِي نَأوا مَكَاناً قَصِيَّا

I shall not forget the beloved as long as I live.

I shall not forget my loved ones as long as I live.

By my life, though they have gone far away.

And by my life, they have gone to a far-off place.

وتَلَوا آيَة الوداعِ فَخَرُّوا

وتَلَوا آيَة الوداعِ فَخَرُّوا

خِيفَة البَينش سُجَّدا وبَكِيَّا

خِيفَة البَينش سُجَّدا وبَكِيَّا

They recited the verse of farewell, then fell

They recited the verse of farewell, then fell down,

prostrate for fear of parting, weeping.

In fear of separation, prostrate and weeping.

فَبِذِكراهُمُ تَسُحُّ دُمُوعِي

فَبِذِكراهُمُ تَسُحُّ دُمُوعِي

كُلَّمَا اشتَقتُ بُكرةً وعَشِيَّا

كُلَّمَا اشتَقتُ بُكرةً وعَشِيَّا

At their memory my tears pour down

So at their remembrance my tears pour forth,

whenever I yearn for them, morning and evening.

Whenever I yearn, morning and evening.

ونَأوا زورة فَصِرتُ أنَادِي

ونَأوا زورة فَصِرتُ أنَادِي

فِي ظَلامِ الدُّجَى نِداءً خَفِيَّا

فِي ظَلامِ الدُّجَى نِداءً خَفِيَّا

They went away after a visit, and I began calling

And they grew distant in their visits, so I began to call

through the pitch-dark night in a hushed voice.

In the darkness of night, with a hushed call.

وأنَاجِي الإلاه مِن فَرطِ حُبِّي

وأنَاجِي الإلاه مِن فَرطِ حُبِّي

كَمُنَاجَاةِ عَبدِهِ زكَرِيَّا

كَمُنَاجَاةِ عَبدِهِ زكَرِيَّا

And I commune with God out of love’s excess,

And I commune with God out of the intensity of my love,

as His servant Zechariah communed with Him.

As His servant Zechariah communed with Him.

وهَن العَظمُ بِالبِعَادِ فَهَب لِي

وهَن العَظمُ بِالبِعَادِ فَهَب لِي

ربّ بِالقُربِ مِن لَدُنك ولِيَّا

ربّ بِالقُربِ مِن لَدُنك ولِيَّا

My bones have grown frail from separation—so grant me,

My bones have weakened from separation; so grant me,

Lord, through nearness, a guardian from Your presence.

Lord, through nearness, a companion from Yourself.

واستَجِب سَيِّدِي دُعَائِي فَإنِّي

واستَجِب سَيِّدِي دُعَائِي فَإنِّي

لَم أكُن بِدُعَاك ربّ شَقِيَّا

لَم أكُن بِدُعَاك ربّ شَقِيَّا

Answer my prayer, my Master, for I

And answer, my Master, my prayer, for I

have never, Lord, been wretched in praying to You.

Have never been disappointed in praying to You, Lord.

قَد بَرى قَلبِيَ الفِراقُ وحَقَّا

قَد بَرى قَلبِيَ الفِراقُ وحَقَّا

كَان يُومُ الفِراقِ شَيئاً فَرِيَّا

كَان يُومُ الفِراقِ شَيئاً فَرِيَّا

Parting has worn my heart away; indeed,

Parting has worn away my heart, and truly

the day of parting was a monstrous thing.

The day of parting was a dreadful thing.

لَيتَنِي مِتُّ قَبل هَذا وأنِّي

لَيتَنِي مِتُّ قَبل هَذا وأنِّي

كُنتُ نِسياً عِند الورى مَنسِيَّا

كُنتُ نِسياً عِند الورى مَنسِيَّا

Would that I had died before this, and been

Would that I had died before this, and that I

among mankind a thing forgotten, utterly forgotten.

Had been a thing utterly forgotten among humankind.

لَم يَكُن ذاك بإختٍِيَارِي ولَكِن

لَم يَكُن ذاك بإختٍِيَارِي ولَكِن

كَان أمراً مُقَدَّراً مَقضِيَّا

كَان أمراً مُقَدَّراً مَقضِيَّا

It was not of my choosing, but

That was not of my choosing, but

a matter destined and decreed.

It was a matter ordained and decreed.

يا خَلِيلَيَّ خَلِّيَانِي بِوجدِي

يا خَلِيلَيَّ خَلِّيَانِي بِوجدِي

أنَا أولَى بِنَارِ حُبِّي صِليَّا

أنَا أولَى بِنَارِ حُبِّي صِليَّا

O my two dear friends, leave me alone with my passion:

O my two friends, leave me to my longing;

I most deserve to burn in the fire of my love.

I am more deserving of burning in the fire of my love.

إنَّ لِي فِي الفِراقِ دمعاً مُطِيعاً

إنَّ لِي فِي الفِراقِ دمعاً مُطِيعاً

وهَوًى قَاصِياً وصبراً عَصِيَّا

وهَوًى قَاصِياً وصبراً عَصِيَّا

Indeed, in separation I have tears that obey me,

Indeed, in parting I have obedient tears,

a merciless passion, and patience that rebels.

And a far-off love, and patience that rebels.

أنَا فِي عَاذِلِي وحُبِّي وشَوقِي

أنَا فِي عَاذِلِي وحُبِّي وشَوقِي

حَائِرٌ أيَّهُم أشَدُّ عُتِيَّا

حَائِرٌ أيَّهُم أشَدُّ عُتِيَّا

Caught between my reproacher, my love, and my longing,

I am amid my reproacher, my love, and my longing,

I stand bewildered—which is fiercest in rebellion?

Bewildered—which of them is most defiant?

أنَا شَيخُ الغَرَامِ مَن يَتَّبِعنِي

أنَا شَيخُ الغَرَامِ مَن يَتَّبِعنِي

أهدِهِ فِي الهَوى سِرَاطاً سَوِيَّا

أهدِهِ فِي الهَوى سِرَاطاً سَوِيَّا

I am the master of love; whoever follows me,

I am the master of passion; whoever follows me,

I shall guide him upon love’s straight path.

I will guide him in love along a straight path.

أنَا مَيتُ الهَوى فَيَوم أراكم

أنَا مَيتُ الهَوى فَيَوم أراكم

ذلِك اليَوم يَوم أبعثُ حَيَّا

ذلِك اليَوم يَوم أبعثُ حَيَّا

I am dead from love; the day I see you

I am dead from love; so the day I see you—

will be the day I am raised alive.

That day is the day I shall be raised alive.