يا باكياً فرقة الأحباب عن شحط

يا باكياً فرقة الأحباب عن شحط

هلا بكيت فراق الروح للبدن

هلا بكيت فراق الروح للبدن

O you who weep over separation from far-off loved ones,

O you who weep for the separation of loved ones from Shuht,

Why have you not wept for the soul's parting from the body?

Would you not weep for the soul's separation from the body?

نور تردد في طين إلى أجل

نور تردد في طين إلى أجل

فانحاز علواً وخلى الطين للكفن

فانحاز علواً وخلى الطين للكفن

A light moved to and fro in clay until an appointed time;

A light lingered in clay until its appointed time,

Then it withdrew on high and left the clay for the shroud.

Then it rose sublimely, leaving the clay to windings sheets.

يا شد ما افترقا من بعد ما اعتلقا

يا شد ما افترقا من بعد ما اعتلقا

أظنها هدنة كانت على دخن

أظنها هدنة كانت على دخن

Oh, how sharply they parted after they had clung together!

How difficult was their parting after their union!

I think it was a truce tainted with discord.

I think it was a truce amidst smoke.

إن لم يكن في رضى الله اجتماعهما

إن لم يكن في رضى الله اجتماعهما

فيا لها صفقة تمت على غبن

فيا لها صفقة تمت على غبن

If their union did not accord with God's pleasure,

If their reunion is not by God's pleasure,

Then what a bargain it was—concluded at a loss!

What a loss has been made in this bargain!