في راحتي أخذت وجه مودعي

في راحتي أخذت وجه مودعي

لثما وكان بخده العبرات

لثما وكان بخده العبرات

In my two palms I held the face of the one bidding me farewell,

In comfort I took the face of the one bidding me farewell

To kiss it; tears were upon his cheek.

And kissed his cheek though tears flowed there

وهززته فاساقطت فكأن أرى

وهززته فاساقطت فكأن أرى

وردا يهز نفيضه القطرات

وردا يهز نفيضه القطرات

And I shook it; they fell, as though I saw

And I shook him till drops fell as though I saw

A rose being shaken, with droplets falling from it.

A rose whose dripping petals shed their tears

نزل النفيض على الغريض رشفته

نزل النفيض على الغريض رشفته

فحلا المزاج ولو به لذعات

فحلا المزاج ولو به لذعات

The shed drops fell upon fresh saliva; I sipped it.

The dripping fell upon the sad one I had moistened

So the mixture tasted sweet, though it held stings.

Sweetening the mood though it was with pain

لولا الوداع وهذه أوشاعه

لولا الوداع وهذه أوشاعه

ما كان لي عند الفراق حياة

ما كان لي عند الفراق حياة

Were it not for farewell—and these are its accompaniments—

If it were not for the farewell and these associations

I would have had no life at parting.

I would have at the parting no life

لكن متى سار الركاب به غداً

لكن متى سار الركاب به غداً

من لي وقد حفلت بي الحسرات

من لي وقد حفلت بي الحسرات

But when the riding camels bear him away tomorrow,

But when the riders journey with him tomorrow

Who will be there for me, when sorrows have thronged around me?

Who do I have when filled with sorrows am I