بَانَ الأحبّةُ فاذكُر طيّبَ الخبر

بَانَ الأحبّةُ فاذكُر طيّبَ الخبر

عنهم لا ظَفَر بعد العين بالأثر

عنهم لا ظَفَر بعد العين بالأثر

The loved ones have departed; recall the pleasant tidings

The loved ones have appeared, so remember the good news about them

Of them; once they are lost to sight, no trace can be found.

No trace remains in the eye after victory

فالروح تلقى ارتياحاً عند ذكرهم

فالروح تلقى ارتياحاً عند ذكرهم

إن زاد شوقي أو إن قلّ مُصطبري

إن زاد شوقي أو إن قلّ مُصطبري

For the soul finds comfort in remembering them,

For the soul finds comfort in remembering them

If my longing grows, or if my endurance wanes.

Whether my longing increases or my patience lessens

غابوا فأظلمت الدنيا بغيبتهم

غابوا فأظلمت الدنيا بغيبتهم

كأنما فُجعت بالشمس والقمر

كأنما فُجعت بالشمس والقمر

They vanished, so the world darkened in their absence,

They were absent, so the world darkened in their absence

As though it had been bereaved of the sun and the moon.

As if I was bereaved of the sun and moon

يا طيب وقت بهم مَرّ حين حلا

يا طيب وقت بهم مَرّ حين حلا

أبدلت عيشي بعد الصفو بالكدر

أبدلت عيشي بعد الصفو بالكدر

O sweetness of a time with them, gone as it grew sweet!

O beautiful time when they passed by

You have turned my life from clarity to murk.

My life changed from joy to sorrow

ناديت روحي وطرفي عندما بليا

ناديت روحي وطرفي عندما بليا

من بعد بعدهم بالوجد والسهر

من بعد بعدهم بالوجد والسهر

I called to my soul and my eye when both were worn down

I called to my soul and eyes when they were tested

After their departure, by longing and sleeplessness:

After their distance with fervor and vigilance

يا مُهجتي التَهبي يا عبرتي انسكبي

يا مُهجتي التَهبي يا عبرتي انسكبي

عَزّ اللّقا بهم في سائر العمر

عَزّ اللّقا بهم في سائر العمر

O my heart, blaze; O my tear, pour forth!

O my burning passion, O my flowing tears

Reunion with them is elusive for the rest of life.

Meeting them is difficult for the rest of my life