ماwhat is wrong للمنازلwith the dwellings لاnot تجيبanswer حزيناa grieving man
ما للمنازل لا تجيب حزينا
أصممنhave they gone deaf? أمor قدمَgrew old البلىdecay فبليناso they wore away
أصممن أم قدمَ البلى فبلينا
What ails the dwellings, that they do not answer a grieving man?
Why do not homes respond to one who's sad?
Have they gone deaf, or has long decay worn them away?
Are they deaf, or has time worn them down?
لاno بلrather بلينthey wore away فهجنso they stirred داءًa malady ساكناًdormant
لا بل بلين فهجن داءً ساكناً
لمتيمٍin one enslaved by love وأثرنَand they roused منهfrom him دفيناsomething buried
لمتيمٍ وأثرنَ منه دفينا
No, rather they have worn away, and stirred a dormant malady
Nay, we are worn, struck by a latent ill
In one enslaved by love, and roused what lay buried within him.
Of one bereft, whose traces in us stay.
راحواthey departed العشيةَin the evening روحةًa departure مذكورةًremembered
راحوا العشيةَ روحةً مذكورةً
إنif متنthey died متناwe died أوor حيينَthey lived حييناwe lived
إن متن متنا أو حيينَ حيينا
They departed in the evening—a memorable departure.
Last eve they left, remembered well,
If they die, we die; or if they live, we live.
Be we alive or dead, alive or dead.