أَفِق قَد أَفاقَ العاشِقونَ وَفارَقوا

أَفِق قَد أَفاقَ العاشِقونَ وَفارَقوا

الهَوى وَاِستَمَرَّت بِالرِجالِ المَرائِرُ

الهَوى وَاِستَمَرَّت بِالرِجالِ المَرائِرُ

Awake! The lovers have already come to their senses and forsaken

The lovers have awoken from sleep and parted from passion,

passion, and men's resolves have grown firm.

While my tears keep flowing relentlessly.

فَقَد ضَلَّ إِلّا أَن تُقَضِّيَ حاجَةً

فَقَد ضَلَّ إِلّا أَن تُقَضِّيَ حاجَةً

بِبُرقِ حَفيرٍ دَمعُكَ المُتَبادِرُ

بِبُرقِ حَفيرٍ دَمعُكَ المُتَبادِرُ

For they are wasted unless you fulfill a need

All is lost unless your glistening tears can fulfill a wish,

at Burq Hafir—your tears that rush forth.

With lightning flashing from the clouds that gather.

وَهَبها كَشَيءٍ لَم يَكُن أَو كَنازِحٍ

وَهَبها كَشَيءٍ لَم يَكُن أَو كَنازِحٍ

بِهِ الدارُ أَو مِن غَيَّبَتهُ المَقابِرُ

بِهِ الدارُ أَو مِن غَيَّبَتهُ المَقابِرُ

And deem her something that never was, or as one borne far away

Grant it like something that never was, or like a traveler

by his dwelling, or one whom the graves have hidden.

Leaving home, or one buried in the graves.

أَأَلحَقُّ إِن دارُ الرَبابِ تَباعَدَت

أَأَلحَقُّ إِن دارُ الرَبابِ تَباعَدَت

أَوَ اَن شَطَّ وَليٌ أَنَّ قَلبَكَ طائِرُ

أَوَ اَن شَطَّ وَليٌ أَنَّ قَلبَكَ طائِرُ

Is it true, if al-Rabab's dwelling has grown distant,

Should I despair if the abode of bliss is far away,

or a dear companion has gone far off, that your heart takes flight?

Or that an untamed heart has flown like a bird?

لَعَمرِيَ ما اِستَودَعتُ سِرّي وَسِرُّها

لَعَمرِيَ ما اِستَودَعتُ سِرّي وَسِرُّها

سِوانا حِذاراً أَن تَشيعَ السَرائِرُ

سِوانا حِذاراً أَن تَشيعَ السَرائِرُ

By my life, I have not entrusted my secret and hers

By my life! Neither I confided my secret, nor did she,

to anyone but us, for fear that secrets might spread.

Fearing our hidden thoughts would spread.

وَلا خاطَبَتها مُقلَتايَ بِنَظرَةٍ

وَلا خاطَبَتها مُقلَتايَ بِنَظرَةٍ

فَتَعلَمَ نَجوانا العُيونُ النَواظِرُ

فَتَعلَمَ نَجوانا العُيونُ النَواظِرُ

Nor did my eyes address her with a glance

Nor did my eyes address her with a glance,

that would let watching eyes learn our private talk.

Lest the watching eyes discern our whispered longings.

وَلَكِن جَعَلتُ اللَحظَ بَيني وَبَينُها

وَلَكِن جَعَلتُ اللَحظَ بَيني وَبَينُها

رَسولاً فَأَدّى ما تَجُنَّ الضَمائِرُ

رَسولاً فَأَدّى ما تَجُنَّ الضَمائِرُ

But I made the glance between me and her

Rather, I made my gaze a messenger between us,

a messenger, and it conveyed what hearts conceal.

Conveying what timid hearts struggle to express.