يَقول لي صاحبي عمَّن نأَيتَ فَما

يَقول لي صاحبي عمَّن نأَيتَ فَما

أراكَ الّا اخا شكوى وأشجانِ

أراكَ الّا اخا شكوى وأشجانِ

My friend says to me, 'From whom have you parted? For

My friend asks me, of whom do you complain, though

I see you only as one given to complaint and sorrows.'

I see you always grieving and lamenting.

ما اشتَكي البعد لَو أَني بُليتُ بِهِ

ما اشتَكي البعد لَو أَني بُليتُ بِهِ

لم احيَ حتىّ تَراني شاكياً شاني

لم احيَ حتىّ تَراني شاكياً شاني

I do not complain of separation; were I afflicted with it,

I do not complain of separation, even if I suffer it,

I would not live long enough for you to see me lamenting my plight.

I would not live if you saw me complaining and moaning.

لكنني اشتَكي القرب الشَديد فقد

لكنني اشتَكي القرب الشَديد فقد

اشفقت من غدر دَهري الحاسد الجاني

اشفقت من غدر دَهري الحاسد الجاني

But I complain of extreme closeness, for

Rather I complain of the extreme closeness, for I

I have come to fear the treachery of my fate, that envious wrongdoer.

Feared the treachery of my envious fate.

اخاف يُحسدُني فيهِ فيُبعِدُني

اخاف يُحسدُني فيهِ فيُبعِدُني

انَّ الزيادةَ قد تأتي بنُقصانٍ

انَّ الزيادةَ قد تأتي بنُقصانٍ

I fear it will envy me for this and so drive me away.

I fear I'll be envied for it, and it'll make me distant,

Indeed, increase may bring decrease.

For abundance can sometimes lead to loss.