وَما زِلتُ أغضي عَنكَ بِالليل كُلَّما

وَما زِلتُ أغضي عَنكَ بِالليل كُلَّما

بَدَوتَ وَلَولا خَوفُ قَومِكِ لَم أَغضِ

بَدَوتَ وَلَولا خَوفُ قَومِكِ لَم أَغضِ

And I have kept averting my eyes from you at night, whenever

I still turn away from you at night whenever

you appeared; but for fear of your people, I would not avert them.

you appear, and if not for fear of your people, I would not turn away.

وَأَرقُبُ زوراً مِن خَيالِكِ طارِقاً

وَأَرقُبُ زوراً مِن خَيالِكِ طارِقاً

وَهَيهاتَ مِن شَرطِ الهَوى عَدَمُ الغَمضِ

وَهَيهاتَ مِن شَرطِ الهَوى عَدَمُ الغَمضِ

And I await a nighttime visit from your phantom,

And I stay up, watching for an apparition of you to come by,

But alas! Sleeplessness is a condition of love.

Alas, longing dictates no rest for the eyes.

هَجَرتُك خَوفاً مِن بُعادٍ يُثيرُه

هَجَرتُك خَوفاً مِن بُعادٍ يُثيرُه

دُنُوِّي وَبَعضُ الشَّرِّ أَهوَنُ مِن بَعضِ

دُنُوِّي وَبَعضُ الشَّرِّ أَهوَنُ مِن بَعضِ

I forsook you for fear of a separation brought on by

I shun you out of fear of provoking separation -

my drawing near; some evils are less grievous than others.

some harm is lighter than other harm.

فَيا حاكِمَ الأَيّامِ إِن كُنتَ قاضِياً

فَيا حاكِمَ الأَيّامِ إِن كُنتَ قاضِياً

بِوَصلٍ فَبادِر قَبلَ نَقضي وَلا تَقضِ

بِوَصلٍ فَبادِر قَبلَ نَقضي وَلا تَقضِ

So, O ruler of the days, if you are to decree

So O ruler of days, if you intend to reconcile,

reunion, hasten before my undoing, and do not pass sentence.

hasten, before our time runs out and do not delay.