كَبدي مِن فراقها بَينَ بَينا

كَبدي مِن فراقها بَينَ بَينا

فَمَتى مَوعِدُ اللِقاء وَأَينا

فَمَتى مَوعِدُ اللِقاء وَأَينا

My liver, from parting with her, hangs in limbo.

My heart is torn asunder by separation from her

When, then, shall we meet, and where?

So when is the tryst, and where will we meet?

ربّ طَير مهاجر غابَ عَنا

ربّ طَير مهاجر غابَ عَنا

شاقَهُ وَكرُهُ فَعادَ إِلَينا

شاقَهُ وَكرُهُ فَعادَ إِلَينا

Many a migrating bird has vanished from our sight;

Many a migrant bird has left us

Its nest stirred its longing, and it returned to us.

But hardship and yearning bring it back to us

كُنتِ تَبكين لَو رَأَيت بُكائي

كُنتِ تَبكين لَو رَأَيت بُكائي

وَقَديماً أَبكي جَميلُ بُثَينا

وَقَديماً أَبكي جَميلُ بُثَينا

You would have wept, had you seen my weeping;

You would weep if you saw my weeping

And long ago, Jamil made Buthayna weep.

And long have I wept for our lost intimacy

غَيرَ أَني أَلفت همي وَغَمّي

غَيرَ أَني أَلفت همي وَغَمّي

فَكُلي وَاِشرَبي وَقَري عَينا

فَكُلي وَاِشرَبي وَقَري عَينا

But I have grown used to my worry and grief,

Except I've grown used to my sorrow and grief

So eat and drink, and let your eyes find comfort.

So eat, drink and delight your eye