أَلا لَيتَ شِعري ما البَحيرَةُ فاعِلٌ

أَلا لَيتَ شِعري ما البَحيرَةُ فاعِلٌ

بِها الدَهرُ أَو ما يَفعَلَنَّ أَميرُها

بِها الدَهرُ أَو ما يَفعَلَنَّ أَميرُها

Ah, if only I knew what will be done to al-Baḥīra

Alas! I wonder what the sea is doing

by Time, or what her ruler will surely do.

And what its ruler will eventually do to it

فَناجَيتُ نَفسي في المَلاءِ وَخالِياً

فَناجَيتُ نَفسي في المَلاءِ وَخالِياً

بِصَرمِكَ فَاِستَعصى عَلَيَّ ضَميرُها

بِصَرمِكَ فَاِستَعصى عَلَيَّ ضَميرُها

So I communed with my soul, in company and alone,

So I communed with myself in solitude

about breaking with you; but its inner resolve defied me.

And asked about your desolation but its conscience eluded me